You intended to cook those potatoes and now they are full of sprouts.
Can you still eat them or should you compost?
Simply Recipes / Illustration by Wanda Abraham
Youre hankering for abaked potatoor whipping up asheet pan dinner.
Simply Recipes / Illustration by Wanda Abraham
But when you reach into the bag, the potatoes have sprouts and agreenish tinge.
Are they still safe to eat?
Whats in the Sprout
Potatoes containtwo compoundssolanine and chaconinecalled glycoalkaloids.
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They are found naturally in plants like tomatoes and eggplants too.
But when theres too much of these compounds, they can be toxic.
Themost glycoalkaloidsare found in the potato sprouts, green skin, and eyes.
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And when that happens, there are often toxins present.
Sprouting potatoes is the potato trying to grow a new potato.
Sprouts are a concentrated source of glycoalkaloids.
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Should You Eat Sprouted Potatoes?
When your potato has sprouts and green spots, its safest to toss it in the compost bin.
Although removing green spots and sprouts reduces glycoalkaloids, it doesnt mean theyre completely gone.
And whether you boil or bake, fry or grill, cooking doesnt lessen the toxins.
It is best to throw it away.
And examine them before you put them in your grocery cart.
Inspect potatoes at the grocery store for physical damage or spoilage prior to purchasing them, suggests Al Bochi.
Then, where you keep them matters.
Dont keep them in sealed plastic bags because they can cause moisture which triggers sprouting.
The best storage temperature is 45 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit, says Dandrea-Russert.
And keep potatoes away from onions.Onionscan release gasses that can cause potatoes to sprout more quickly.
