Sweet potatoes that turn green are safe to consume: AVA seeks to correct viral message (2024)

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Sweet potatoes that turn green are safe to consume: AVA seeks to correct viral message? ›

"The greenish colour can be due to a natural occurrence, when the water soluble pigments in the cooked sweet potatoes are exposed to air," AVA said. "If the cooked sweet potatoes are handled and stored properly, they should not pose a food safety concern."

Is this the same toxic substance as in regular potatoes? Answer: No, according to Bob Sherman, University of California Farm Adviser for Merced County. The green color is oxidation and should not affect either the quality or flavor of the sweet potatoes.

However, when potato tubers turn green there is usually an increase in a glycoalkoloid compound called solanine. Consequently, it is important to store potatoes in the absence of light to prevent greening. Tubers with a high concentration of solanine will taste bitter, and can be harmful if eaten in large quantities.

The greenish tint is actually a sign that the potatoes have been exposed to too much light—the green is our good friend chlorophyll, which is nontoxic and potentially beneficial for human health.

AVA said that sweet potatoes contain flavonoids (a type of anti-oxidant), and water-soluble pigments which may cause colour changes. "The greenish colour can be due to a natural occurrence, when the water soluble pigments in the cooked sweet potatoes are exposed to air," AVA said.

To be on the safe side, peel the potato and trim away the green portions. After that, be sure to cook the potato to help lower solanine levels even more. “As the toxic glycoalkaloids concentrate in the green portion, if the green area is small, you can peel the skin and cut off the green bits,” suggests Rui Huang, Ph.

Solanine is considered a neurotoxin, and ingestion by humans can cause nausea and headaches and can lead to serious neurological problems and even death if enough is consumed. A recent study suggested that a 16-oz (450-gram) fully green potato is enough to make a small adult ill.

The most significant of these is the formation of solanine, which is created after the vegetable is exposed to light. Solanine is also present in the sprouts, roots, and leaves of a potato. The substance is a neurotoxin. If a person eats solanine it can cause headaches and nausea.

Solanine is not removed by boiling, but it can be destroyed by frying. Solanine poisoning is uncommon as cooks and the public are aware of the problem and tend to avoid green potatoes, in any case, consumption of up to 5 g of green potato per kg body weight per day does not appear to cause acute illness.

This root vegetable is extremely popular in South Korea and enjoyed in so many ways, including pre-packaged snacks, lattes, noodles, pizzas, stews, desserts, you name it! And in the winter time, it's such a treat to warm up with a steaming hot sweet potato from a street vendor.

How to fix green potatoes? ›

Removing the green portions by simply cutting them out will eliminate most of the toxin. However, if more extensive greening occurs, throw the tuber away. Never eat tubers that are green beneath the skin. Only potato tubers should be consumed; other parts of the potato plant can be toxic to consume.

How to tell if sweet potatoes have gone bad. If your sweet potato is soft in spots, smells rotten, or oozes a mysterious liquid, that potato should be discarded. Another sign that sweet potatoes have taken a turn for the worse is if they start growing stalky purplish sprouts.

According to sweet potato experts including the North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission, refrigerating sweet potatoes is a no-no. 2 Your refrigerator is actually too cool and can change the cell structure of the potatoes, making them hard in the center with white spots.

People with kidney problems must avoid eating sweet potatoes because an improper functioning kidney cannot remove potassium from their body, causing high potassium levels that can be harmful to them. Sweet potatoes contain high amounts of oxalates that may increase the risk of calcium-oxalate kidney stones.

Cooked sweet potato should be kept in the refrigerator and eaten within 5 to 7 days, says Richard. "Cooked food should not sit at room temperature more than two hours before putting it in the refrigerator or freezer (or one hour when the temperature is above 90°F)," she notes.

Solanine is not removed by boiling, but it can be destroyed by frying. Solanine poisoning is uncommon as cooks and the public are aware of the problem and tend to avoid green potatoes, in any case, consumption of up to 5 g of green potato per kg body weight per day does not appear to cause acute illness.

No. The potato is not green because it is unripe. Potatoes are ready to eat at any stage of growth.

Put your slips into a glass or bowl of water with the roots submerged and leaves kept above the glass edge. New roots will emerge from each slip within a few days. When the roots are about an inch long, they are ready to plant!