An apple, coolness and darkness all day, keep the potatoe sprouting away...
A FEW TRADITIONAL METHODS, DOWN-TO-EARTH RECOMMENDATIONS AND GRANDMA´S TRICKS TO BETTER PRESERVE POTATOES.
Storing potatoes is more than putting them in a wooden box. It is an art. If they are not stored properly, they tend to sprout or turn green, leading to unwanted loss. This is why DODILog partners are testing non invasive techhnologies that can prolong their shelflife and let them retain their quality.
In general terms, to avoid major food waste, it is important to consider the following recommendations that are applicable at home as well as at the industrial storage room.
Cool
Keep them cool, but not cold. Potatoes should be stored in a cool, dry place to prevent sprouting. Ideally, it is between 6 and 8°C , in the refrigerator's vegetable drawer or in a cellar. Freezing raw potatoes is not recommended. Indeed, at temperatures below 6°C, the starch in potatoes can turn into sugar.
Dark
It is important to keep the potatoes out of the light. Potatoes, which grow underground, don't like light. If the potatoes are exposed for too long to the light, they turn green due to solanine, an undesirable substance that makes them bitter and indigestible.
Choosing the right potatoes
Before even storing potatoes, it's important to organize a selection of the potatoes carefully to optimize their storage. When buying them, it is important to observe and to touch them: the potatoes should be firm, have a uniform colour, and show no sign of blackening, greening, or sprouting.
Avoid damage during transport
It is important to avoid tipping potatoes over roughly, as they can be damaged by impact (injury or blackening).
An apple is a potatoe´s friend
Did you know that to keep potatoes fresh longer, it is recommended to place an apple among them? The apple releases ethylene, a gas that slows down the formation of sprouts. The validity of this ancient method seems to have been scientifically confirmed by the study "Apple fruit as a biological suppressant for potato tuber sprouting during ambient storage" (Lesibana Bopape, Thabiso Satekge, Paulus Mafeo, Manape Lekganyane, 2024 )."
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