Can potatoes be eaten when they turn green?
If the potato is left for too long, it will turn green partially or completely. This is because the potato is influenced by light to synthesize leaf green, and this potato is generally about to sprout. This will also greatly increase the content of Solanum nigrum in potatoes. Solanum nigrum has a bitter feeling and is a toxic substance. The content of Solanum nigrum is the highest in potato flowers, followed by stems and leaves, and also in tubers, but the content is low. According to the relevant regulations of the state, the content of Solanum nigrum exceeds 20mg/ 100g, which will be harmful to people and animals.
Some people did experiments with a small number of green potatoes and a large area of green potatoes. The experiment found that the content of solanine in the epidermis of a small number of green potatoes exceeded the limited value, while the content of solanine in the epidermis of a large area of green potatoes reached more than five times the limited value. But potatoes are usually peeled, so can green potatoes be eaten after peeling?
It was found that the content of solanine in the surface layer of potatoes with green skin peeled off was still higher than the edible limit value. However, when the green part of potatoes is cut off, the solanine content of potatoes with no green part at all is lower than the limit value of 20mg/ 100g. This shows that only some green potatoes can be eaten as long as all the green parts are cut off, but if the potatoes turn green seriously and have penetrated deep into the interior, they can no longer be eaten.
Can potatoes be eaten when they sprout and cut off the buds?
Potatoes contain a toxin-Solanum nigrum. Under normal circumstances, the content of this toxin is extremely low and will not cause harm to human body. However, the content of solanine in germinated potatoes will increase greatly, and poisoning symptoms such as diarrhea, nausea, itching in mouth and throat and vomiting will appear if you eat more than 300 mg of solanine (about 60g of germinated potatoes), which may be life-threatening.
So, can potatoes be eaten when they are sprouted and cut off? Generally speaking, for potatoes with less germination (that is, just growing a small bud), it is still edible to peel and remove the buds while thoroughly digging out the parts around the buds and cutting off the green or green parts. Soak in cold water for a while before cooking, and add proper amount of vinegar to decompose the toxins. But if potatoes sprout in a large area or most of them turn green, it's best to throw them away and stop eating them.
What kind of potatoes can I eat?
Moldy and rotten potatoes can't be eaten and stored for a long time, which may be moldy and rotten. The solanine content of this potato also exceeds the limit value many times, which may cause food poisoning if eaten. If it is only slightly moldy or rotten, cut off the bad part, as long as the rest is not germinated and green, it can still be eaten.
Refreshed potatoes Don't eat refurbished potatoes. It means that potatoes that have been placed for a long time (which may have sprouted or turned green) are put into special equipment for cleaning and polishing and become "new potatoes" with bright skins.
Don't eat potatoes without peeling. Solanum nigrum in potatoes is mainly concentrated in the epidermis and near the skin. To prevent poisoning, it is best to peel potatoes.
Don't eat uncooked potatoes. The starch content in potatoes is extremely high. Raw starch is not easy to digest. Eating uncooked potatoes will cause gastrointestinal disharmony and even symptoms such as bloating and diarrhea.
(Reference: "China Modern Health Medicine Food")