How to store potatoes

How to tell potatoes have gone bad

• Green skin means the potato sat in light and made solanine, a bitter compound that can cause stomach upset. Peel away all green skin and flesh; USDA says you do not need to throw the potato out unless the green runs deep.
• Small sprouts on a firm potato can be cut off and the rest eaten. Sprouts of 1 inch (2.5 cm) or more on a soft, shrivelled potato mean it goes out.
• A soft, wrinkled or mushy potato, a bad smell, or mould and dark wet patches are signs of rot. Discard it.
• Cooking does not destroy solanine, so cut away green and sprouted parts first. Store potatoes cool, dark and dry to prevent both.

Sources: Ask FSIS: are green potatoes dangerous?; Sprouting or Greening Potatoes: Keep or Toss? (Iowa State University Extension). The times on this page are quality guidelines, not safety limits; food that shows these signs goes out regardless of the date.

Storage habits that make the difference

Store leafy greens loosely wrapped in the crisper drawer, ideally with a paper towel to absorb extra moisture. Keep potatoes, onions and garlic in a cool, dark, dry place outside the fridge, and store potatoes away from onions since they spoil each other faster. Trim and wash vegetables just before cooking.