Storing potatoes

How should you store potatoes?

• Store potatoes in a well ventilated cool dark place.
  
  
• A heavy paper bag or cardboard box in the bottom of your pantry makes the best storage container.
  
  
• Don't put them in the fridge as the flavour changes will be noticeable.
  
  
• Handle carefully - even though they look tough they bruise easily.

What causes greening?

• When potatoes are exposed to light they can develop a green colour resulting in chlorophyll formation in the surface layers. Associated with this is the formation of a toxic alkaloid, solanine.
  
  
• The amount of green pigment depends on the intensity of the light, length of exposure and age of potato.
  
  
• New potatoes are really susceptible to greening.
  
  
• Some varieties have quite a yellow flesh so don't confuse this with greening.
  
  
• If you do purchase potatoes with lots of greening return them to your retailer. If there are small amounts of greening simply peel or scrape away the greening and use the potato normally