Can Potatoes Go Bad?: Potatoes are popular, and a must-have in the household. Though you may have noticed that potatoes tend to stay a long time, you may precisely wonder, can potatoes go bad? and how long they last without spoiling.
If so, you are in the right place. Potatoes originated from the Andes, South America. It is one of the most popular vegetables all over India. Look into the tips that were provided in the article, to prolong the shelf life of potatoes, signs to tell that potatoes have gone bad, and many more. Start reading to Know!!
- Can Potatoes Go Bad? How to Tell If Potatoes Have Gone Bad?
- Is It Safe to Eat Potatoes that Have Sprouted?
- Can We Eat Potatoes With Green Tinge?
- Are Soft and Wrinkled Potatoes Bad?
- What Happens If You Eat a Bad Potato?
- If One Potato is Rotten, Are they All Bad?
- How Long Do Potatoes Last?
- How To Store Potatoes So They Last As Long As Possible?
- Can We Freeze Potatoes?
- Interesting Facts About Potatoes
- Is there any risk of eating spoiled potatoes?
- How fresh raw potatoes look like?
- Why my potatoes are green?
- Can you eat raw potatoes?
Can Potatoes Go Bad? How to Tell If Potatoes Have Gone Bad?
Yes, unfortunately like all other vegetables, potatoes go bad if they are not stored in a proper way. So, the best sign that a potato has started to spoil is that the spud begins to dry out and shrink or become mushy based on the temperature. By looking at this sign you can tell that potatoes are going to spoil or spoiled.
And if you see that the potato has sprouted on it or if it is moldy or rotten, you can remove the sprouts or you can remove the rotten part and you can use them. If you get a bad smell then also you can discard the potatoes as they were gone bad.
Is It Safe to Eat Potatoes that have Sprouted?
Yes, it is safe to eat potatoes even if they are sprouted. But when you see it is sprouted cut the sprouts and cook them immediately. Sprouts form from the potato eyes which are the small bumps where the tubers stem and sprout new plants. By eating sprouts you will have serious side effects as they contain solanine, chaconine, and other toxic glycoalkaloids.
Can We Eat Potatoes With Green Tinge?
Yes, if the potatoes are having a green tinge, you no need to worry about that. As the potato has the smallest concentration of solanine it will have a green tinge. In case you bought the potatoes that are really well, and if you get the green tinge, that is a sign that potatoes are reacted with light exposure. Then concentrate on better storage.
Are Soft and Wrinkled Potatoes Bad?
No, but it depends. The quality of the potato will be less, compared to fresh ones. But still, they are ok to cook and eat. You might feel a bit difficult to peel the skin if it is wrinky. It is better to use them in the dishes where you will mash the potatoes than to use them for fries.
But once you see that potato starts to lose water content in it, it is better to discard it.
What Happens If You Eat a Bad Potato?
Of course, no one will eat bad potatoes knowing that they went bad, but we eat them accidentally without knowing that they went bad. The potato contains solanine, if the potato has gone bad the solanine level will increase which can even cause solanine poisoning.
By eating this we will have the symptoms like nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach cramps, dizziness, headache, and many more. If you take 5grams of green potato per kg then you should definitely seek medical help. Otherwise, it is fine.
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If One Potato is Rotten, Are they All Bad?
No, you can throw the potato which is rotten and you can use the remaining potatoes. As the bacteria will spread quickly, check them every two days or a week and remove the one which is moldy, or rotten. So the rest of them will be good.
How Long Do Potatoes Last?
As potato is a vegetable it will not have a longer shelf life like garlic and onions. But in all vegetable potatoes will have a longer shelf life. If you store them properly then only they can last long. Potatoes can be used for many months based on the preparation method, storage methods, and many more.
Look into the shelf life of the potatoes from the given table.
| Types of Potatoes | Fridge | Freezer | Pantry |
| White potatoes | 3 to 4 months | Not Recommended | 3 to 5 weeks |
| Red potatoes | 2 to 3 months | Not Recommended | 2 to 3 weeks |
| Gold potatoes | 2 to 3 months | Not Recommended | 2 to 3 weeks |
| Mashed potatoes | 5 to 6 days | 6 to 8 months | Not Recommended |
| Baked potatoes | 1 week | 6 to 8 months | Not Recommended |
| Cooked potatoes | 1 week | 6 to 8 months | Not Recommended |
| Fingerlings | 2 to 3 months | Not Recommended | 2 to 3 weeks |
| French fries | 1 to 2 days | 6 to 8 months | Not Recommended |
| Fresh potatoes | 5 days | Not Recommended | 1 year |
How To Store Potatoes So They Last As Long As Possible?
As we already mentioned, potatoes will last longer if you store them well. When you buy the potatoes do not wash them, in any case, to use them for longer. So, let us look into the tips that are provided below to keep potatoes fresh for a long time.
- If you want to store the potatoes for longer, just buy the fresh potatoes and keep them in a cool, dry place in your pantry.
- Make sure to avoid exposure to sunlight. So that the solanine production will be reduced which makes the potatoes very toxic.
- Always store the potatoes in an open container to allow the air. Do not use plastic containers as the plastic will reduce the shelf life of potatoes.
- Keep the potatoes in a plastic bag, cardboard box, mesh bag, or basket.
- Check the potatoes daily and remove the ones which have gone bad, so that they will not ruin the remaining ones.
- Always keep your potatoes away from the onions. They both release the gases and make the other ripen.
- Keeping the potatoes in the refrigerator will increase their shelf life but by keeping them in the fridge they will become sweeter and darken faster.
- If you find the small sprouts on the potatoes take them and use them immediately.
- To store the cooked potatoes you can keep them in the refrigerator at 40°F and 0°F (-18°C) in the freezer.
Can We Freeze Potatoes?
Yes, you can freeze potatoes but not every form will get negative consequences. But you can freeze some of them. We cannot keep the raw potatoes in the freezer as they will become bad quickly. And the cooked or mashed potatoes can be kept in the freezer or fridge but it is totally based on how you prepare the dish. At last, french fries were made to be in the freezer.
If you buy them outside or prepared them at home, they should be kept in the freezer, so that they can last for months.
Interesting Facts About Potatoes
Here we are going to provide some facts about potatoes that you will never know.
- Potato contains 80% of water and 20% solids.
- Sweet potato is not actually a potato.
- The world’s largest potato weighed in at 18 pounds, 4 ounces according to the Guinness Book of World Records.
- In 1995, potato plants were taken into space by the space shuttle Columbia.
Do Check:
FAQs on Does Potatoes Go Bad
1. Is there any risk of eating spoiled potatoes?
Yes, eating spoiled potatoes carry a high risk of food poisoning. In severe cases, it may result in dehydration, hospitalization, and even death.
2. How fresh raw potatoes look like?
Raw potatoes should be firm to touch, have tight skin, and blemish free and they should smell earthy those we call fresh potatoes.
If the potatoes are exposed to light then they will turn green as it will produce chlorophyll.
Yes, raw potatoes can be eaten but they will be very hard for your body to digest. They will also have higher vitamin C and starch.
In a Nutshell
By storing the potatoes properly you can enjoy them for months. Hope that the information we have provided above on “can potatoes go bad?” is useful for you. Share it with your family, friends, and relatives. Stay connected with our site canfoodgobad.com for more interesting updates.