If you store potatoes in a relatively warm (think room temperature) place, at some point they will start to sprout. That’s okay, and it’s not a sign of the potatoes going bad. All you need to do is to cut off the sprouts before cooking, and you’re good to go.
Can potatoes go off?
Yes, potatoes can go bad. Potatoes have a pretty good shelf-life. They won’t spoil quickly unless stored incorrectly.
They do signal, however, that the potato is slowly expiring and needs cooking as quickly as possible. As long as the shoots aren’t attached to mushy, soft potatoes, remove the shoots, and cook the remainder.
Do potatoes go bad?
It won’t come as a surprise that potatoes indeed do go bad. So now the big question: how to tell if a potato has gone off and should be discarded? If a large portion of the surface is moldy or rotten, throw it out. If it’s only a small part, like less than a third, it’s up to you if you cut out the off part and use the rest, or throw it out.
Nope, just throw out the bad ones and eat the rest. The bacteria tend to spread fairly quickly, so it makes sense to give your potatoes a check every week and throw out the off ones. This way, more of the tubers will survive storage and end up cooked on your plate.
If the potatoes developed a moldy, musky aroma, molds may have developed inside the spuds. Moldy potatoes may look fine on the outside but are rotten on the inside. Cut the potatoes to check if they are still good to eat. Potatoes with sprouts are generally safe to consume as long as you cut the sprouts.
How do you know when it’s time to throw away potatoes?
But if the potato gives off a musty smell like mildew, and you will know, it’s time to toss the potato in the trash. When it comes to mold spots, if there is a small patch of mold on the potato, it doesn’t mean the vegetable’s time is up.
Another popular query is “How long can you leave potatoes out of the fridge?”.
Some believe that this process can be reversed by leaving them out of the fridge for 7-10 days. [1] Sprouts are a sign that nutrients are leaving the potato. To further prevent sprouting, keep the potatoes in a brown paper bag along with a ripe apple which will emit ethylene gas and suppress the growth of potato cells and thus sprouts.