Natural Elements Potato Bag with Blackout Lining, Potato Storage Bag, Hessian, 24 x 24 cm, Brown

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While the chlorophyll that turns skins green is harmless, sun exposure can produce large amounts of a toxic chemical called solanine. Sunlight or fluorescent light can cause potato skins to produce chlorophyll and turn an undesirable green color ( 1). The best plug-in device for maintaining the ideal potato storage temperature of 45°F (7°C) is a beverage cooler, of which there are several small models that might be useful if you are critically low on cold storage space. You also can use a wine cooler set at its lowest setting, which is usually around 52°F (11°C). This can be a good thing for those with blood sugar issues, since it reduces the glycemic index by about 25% and causes a much smaller spike in blood sugar after eating ( 23, 24). Reducing sugars can form carcinogenic substances, known as acrylamides, when fried or exposed to very high cooking temperatures, so it’s best to keep levels low ( 11, 12).

However, many countries have mandatory guidelines that limit the amount of solanine in commercial potatoes to under 91 mg per pound (200 mg/kg), so this is not a common concern ( 8, 9). Resistant starch also promotes gut health, since gut bacteria ferment it and produce short chain fatty acids, which help keep the lining of your large intestine healthy and strong ( 25, 26, 27). I have often used deep holes dug in the garden for temporary potato storage, but it is not a long-term solution because the potatoes tend to develop skin issues that are rare when potatoes are kept in dry storage. I tried storing potatoes in a buried garbage can, which should have worked but did not. The potatoes inside stayed too damp and went gooey, which could have been due to many factors, including my own mistakes. Specialized Refrigeration

Put the potatoes on a sheet of newspaper in a dark place – it’s important they don’t touch, as air needs to circulate between the spuds. Leave your potatoes here for a couple of weeks. It’s important not to wash the potatoes, as this adds moisture that can encourage them to sprout. Instead, get rid of most of the dirt by brushing it off. Very low temperatures can cause “cold-induced sweetening.” This happens when some of the starch is converted to reducing sugars ( 10). This is because the enzymes that cause browning are still active in the potato, even under freezing temperatures ( 14).

The refrigerator is out, because temperatures below 40°F (4°C) trigger the conversion of starches to sugars in the stored spuds, which makes them darken when cooked. Even worse, what old timers called “sugared potatoes” form carcinogenic compounds when cooked at high temperatures. Let’s not go there.

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However, leftovers may become watery or gummy, since potato starches change shape and release water as they cool ( 22). Potato storage bags are quite important as they help you store and preserve potatoes for later use. Everyone has different ways of handing and storing fruits and vegetables but not all methods are necessarily the best ways to manage delicate vegetables like potatoes. It therefore becomes important to research and see what is available in the market in the form of potato storage bags so that you can try out an appropriate product or accessory to enhance your potato storage experience.