Why and How to Store Potatoes Without Refrigerating Them

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When raw potatoes are refrigerated, this is what occurs. Here’s a hint: It’s awful. Here’s where and how to keep them to extend their shelf life.

Purchasing fresh potatoes in bulk is typically more cost-effective than purchasing individual potatoes. Buying potatoes in bulk will guarantee that you always have them on hand because they are healthy, adaptable, and store well. But it’s not a good idea to refrigerate potatoes.

While raw potatoes can be detrimental to storage, they are the foundation of many delectable side dishes, such as creamy mashed potatoes and potato gratin. We discuss the reasons of storing potatoes outside of the refrigerator as well as safe and efficient storage methods.

The Reasons Behind Not Refrigerating Potatoes

You could incur two major costs by choosing to refrigerate potatoes.

Reduced Texture and Taste

Potatoes that are refrigerated lose some of their natural texture and flavor because of the sugar content. Potatoes naturally contain sucrose, but when they are refrigerated, an enzyme converts it to glucose and fructose. This chemical process causes a potato to become more sweet and granular in texture, which is not bad for you, but it might throw off the flavor of a recipe.\

Synthesis of a Compound That May Cause Cancer Whether baking, frying, or roasting, cooking potatoes that have been refrigerated at high temperatures might produce a chemical that could be harmful. The chemical acrylamide is created when high temperatures react with the glucose and fructose that cold-grown potatoes produce with asparagine, an amino acid.
Acrylamid

Studies indicate that acrylamide may be linked to cancer, particularly ovarian, renal, and endometrial cancer. The American Cancer Society states that while human research has yielded conflicting results, animal studies have produced the strongest evidence. The substance is “likely to be carcinogenic to humans,” according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

How to Lower Acrylamide

Once acrylamide is produced, it is impossible to remove it from food or stop it from being produced,” the Food Standards Agency (a British equivalent of the Food and Drug Administration) states. In order to determine how and when acrylamide develops and how to lower levels when it occurs, the FSA and other like-minded American groups are still conducting research on the substance.

A few important insights have come from this research. The following advice from the National Institute of Environmental Health Science could assist you in reducing your exposure to acrylamide, which is potentially harmful:

  • Foods should be fried at or below 338°F. The conversion of carbohydrates into acrylamide is accelerated by higher temperatures.
  • Don’t overcook meals that are baked, roasted, or fried: Instead of turning golden brown, cook until golden-yellow.c
  • After refrigeration, soak potatoes in water for half an hour. As a result, some of the sugars seep into the water. Before cooking, make sure the potatoes are drained and pat dry.
  • Cook other items to the lowest point at which they may create acrylamide. For example, toast should only be gently toasted.

How to Keep Potatoes for the Longest

Keep your raw potatoes out of the refrigerator for the benefit of your health and your potato dishes. Instead, use these instructions to keep potatoes securely for up to six months.

Examine for Damage

Examine raw potatoes for damage caused by disease, mistreatment, or pests, and select only the best potatoes to store. If a potato isn’t quite ideal, chop off and throw away the bad portions and use the excellent parts straight away.

Select the Appropriate Container

To provide adequate ventilation, place immaculate raw potatoes in a cardboard box, paper bag, mesh bag, or basket. Potatoes from the grocery store can often be stored in their original bags as long as they are made of non-plastic materials. When air holes are present in a plastic bag, the plastic reduces airflow and shortens the shelf life of potatoes.

Choose the Appropriate Site

Potatoes should be kept cold, damp, and dark. 45 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit is the optimal range, which is warmer than a refrigerator but colder than room temperature.

Potato storage is ideal in an unheated basement if you don’t have a root cellar (and who does these days?). Another alternative for winter potato storage is an insulated garage or shed. If those spots aren’t available, a kitchen drawer or pantry will work.

Keep It dark

Potatoes should not be kept in the refrigerator; instead, they should not be kept on the kitchen counter or anywhere else that receives light. When potatoes receive too much light, chlorophyll is produced, which causes the potatoes to turn green. Although chlorophyll is beneficial, this process also yields glycoalkaloids, which are hazardous in high concentrations and can result in headaches, nausea, and diarrhea.

Glycoalkaloids, especially solanine, in high concentration in tubers “taste bitter, and can be harmful if eaten in large quantities,” the USDA states. “To be safe, it is best to not eat the green part of tubers.” They recommend merely cutting away any green sections of the potato, as these suggest a concentration of solanines, rather than throwing the entire potato away.
Hold on

Prevent Onions From Mixing With Potatoes

If your potatoes are right next to your onions, then wherever you find to store them might not be the best choice. It might seem sense to store potatoes and onions next to each other because they both need cool, dark, and well-ventilated conditions, but this is not the case.

Potatoes adjacent may rot and decay faster due to the accelerated ripening process caused by the ethylene gas released by onions. Onions, on the other hand, may get mushy and brown because to the high moisture content of potatoes.

Luckily, expanding your cupboard to include potatoes and onions doesn’t require demolishing any walls. All you need to keep both root crops happily stored is a few feet between them in the basement or separate drawers in the kitchen.

Don’t Forget About Them

Regularly check your stored potatoes and throw away any that appear limp or shriveled to prevent further potato spoilage. As long as the sprouting potato feels firm to the touch and hasn’t dried out, it’s good to consume. Just make sure the sprouts are taken out before cooking.

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