The potato is one of the most versatile foods in our kitchen and is present in a multitude of stews and side dishes. But that does not mean that we consume it every day and that is why, after storing them for a while, it is common for them to develop outbreaks. However, germination seems to be a much more frequent phenomenon than before. Food technologist Miguel Ángel Lurueña has explained in an Instagram post (@gominolasdepetroleo) why this happens, the possible risks that outbreaks entail and what we can do to delay them.
“My parents bought 50 kilo bags of potatoes and they would last for months in good condition.” This is the complaint of a user who compares the potatoes ‘from before’ with those in the bag he bought 15 days ago, already sprouted. As Lurueña explains, this occurs because since 2020 the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has banned antigerminants such as chlorpropham, which used to be sprinkled on potatoes, due to its possible health risks.
This does not mean that potatoes with sprouts should be discarded. The function of this tuber is precisely to take root to guarantee a new harvest. Once harvested, the potato remains a living organ that tends to develop sprouts under certain humidity and temperature conditions. That is why to ‘sleep’ these roots, the potatoes must be stored in a cool, dark place with high humidity, with a minimum temperature of 8 degrees. Never in the refrigerator! The ideal would be to store them in a cellar, but, if there is no other option, find the coolest place in your home and put them in a bag.
With few exceptions, it is enough to remove the sprouts from the potato before consuming it. However, we must try to avoid its germination for these reasons:
