Are green potatoes toxic???

[BUNBUNLVR]

A while back on the other board, someone mentioned that one shouldn't eat greeen potatoes without peeling down well past the green part as it is toxic and will make one sick. Does anyone know more about that? I've eaten many a green potato and never felt ill. Of course, if it's toxic and I'm just not reacting to it immediately, I don't want to continue eating green potatoes.

If they are toxic does anyone know if it's okay to cook them with the green part still on, like baked in the oven and then just not eat the skin part? Would that contaminate the entire potato? Or, should one only use green potatoes for dishes that require peeling before cooking so the green can be removed first?

I'm concerned about this since so many of us stated in the "favorite starch" thread that we love potatoes.

Thanx for any info any of you have about this.

[Anne]

The green part is mildly toxic. For me, it makes me feel blah and have slight intestinal upset if I eat potatoes that have green skin.

It's driving me crazy that stores are selling potatoes in clear plastic bags under flourescent lights so we bring potatoes home already green and sometimes moldy! They used to be sold in paper bags with vents because people understood that spuds needed to be kept dark, cool and ventilated.

I'm trying to buy bags from under the pile and immediately removing them from the plastic to store in a cardboard box in my basement pantry where it is dark and cool. This seems to be helping with the green potato problem. I'm going to check around for local sources of paper bagged potatoes.

[BUNBUNLVR]

I thought the green was due to the potato not being completely ripe yet. Am I understanding you correctly that it is from mold??? Agggg!

[Anne]

The green is not unripeness or mold. The mold was a separate problem - yucky, but separate. Moisture trapped by the plastic bag started some mold in the potatoes I kept longer.

When potatoes are exposed to light, they begin to respond as plants turning green. Unfortunately, that produces a mildly toxic chemical called solanine. It's not great to eat, though you certainly won't die from it.

[BUNBUNLVR]

I've also had potatoes start to get moldy when kept in a plastic bag for too long. I can always tell when that has started to happen somewhere in the bag cause a bad smell starts coming from the kitchen pantry. You have a good idea about storing them in a cardboard box in the basement pantry. I'm going to do that also.

You're a wealth of potato knowledge, Anne! Thanks for the education about the green on some potatoes. I had no idea about all that and am glad to know of it now. I'm also glad to hear it isn't "deadly toxic" so I don't need to obsess about it, just avoid it.

[BUNBUNLVR]

If they are toxic does anyone know if it's okay to cook them with the green part still on, like baked in the oven and then just not eat the skin part? Would that contaminate the entire potato? Or, should one only use green potatoes for dishes that require peeling before cooking so the green can be removed first?

Anne, do you know the answers to the other questions above? Sorry to be so pesty about this topic. Just want to try to be completely informed.

Thanks again for sharing your knowledge!

[Malva]

I store my potatoes in brown paper bags, or canvas bags.
They get enough ventilation without light getting to them.
Keep the ones you'll eat over the day or two in the pantry, and keep the rest in the basement in your cardboard box. I also cover my box with newspaper or a cloth to prevent daylight (from the the one window in the basement) from turning them green.

[Anne]

Bunbunlvr: I don't know if the solanine cooks into the whole dish, good question! I always peel off the skin and all the green and use them in soups when I have green potatoes. That makes me unhappy since I really like the flavor of potato skins.

Malva: great idea about the paper bags. I cover my box with newspaper too because we have a nightlight at the foot of the stairs and windows at the other end of the basement. I would love to construct an old-fashioned root cellar...
Winter squash is the other vegetable that I know theoretically can be stored for a long time, but I don't do well with. Do you keep them?

I just found a great year-round produce market that sells locally-grown potatoes in paper bags - yay on multiple points!

[Malva]

Keeping squash.

I partially cook butternuts, cut into cubes, freeze on cookie sheets and then throw them into a bag to use all year long.

But otherwise, I eat them so quickly there is no need to "keep" them in a cold or dark place. Thankfully, the stores here have squash all year round.

[BUNBUNLVR]

Thanks to you both for the great potato info! I now feel much more knowledgable about one of my favorite starches.

I keep as many potatoes as I can fit in the frig crisper too. They seem to last quite a long time that way...dark (except when opening the frig) & cool.