Hessian Sack for Storing Potatoes & Vegetable Storage Bags – 3 Pack – Holds up to 25kg – 84cm x 50cm – Store Fruit & Root Crops – Great for Farmers & Allotment Growers

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The ideal temperature for potato storage is about 45 to 50ºF (7 to 10ºC), which will be cooler than the temperature at which homegrown potatoes were cured. For those that will go into soups, stews and mashed potatoes, thaw the frozen cuts in the fridge first, about 7 to 8 hours, before cooking. And since these taters have already been par-cooked, remember to add them only near the end of the cooking time so as not to overcook them.

To store potatoes, keep them somewhere that is cool and dark as well as dry. If you aren’t storing for the long term, but simply want to keep them in good condition after you’ve bought them home from the store, keep them in a pantry or cabinet. Never leave them out on a countertop. This is because they contain an enzyme called polyphenol oxidase, which reacts with oxygen and turns the flesh a grey or brownish color. This temperature range is slightly warmer than refrigeration and can be found in cool cellars, basements, garages or sheds. While the chlorophyll that turns skins green is harmless, sun exposure can produce large amounts of a toxic chemical called solanine. 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.Sunlight or fluorescent light can cause potato skins to produce chlorophyll and turn an undesirable green color ( 1). If you’ve ever kept your potatoes in a brightly-lit place, you may have experienced this. When potatoes are exposed to too much fluorescent light, they will turn a surprisingly vibrant shade of green. This happens because of chlorophyll being produced inside the potato, which isn’t necessarily bad, but it can also cause toxins like glycoalkaloids to reproduce. When this happens, it’s best to just find your nearest compost bin and let them move onto a better life in the soil. How to store potatoes and win the eternal battle of light and dark

It’s always good to have potatoes around the house. They’re some of the most filling, nourishing, versatile, and shelf-stable foods to have in the kitchen – it’s useful to know how to store potatoes to maximise their shelf life. Very low temperatures can cause “cold-induced sweetening.” This happens when some of the starch is converted to reducing sugars ( 10). A potato that’s sprouted can be be eaten if you cut the sprout off, but don’t consume any that are also soft or shriveled. What is the proper way to store potatoes? Studies show that vibrantly colored varieties contain much larger amounts of antioxidants than traditional white potatoes ( 30). Summary

Below 5°C the starch begins to turn to sugars and the potatoes will develop an unpleasant strange sweetish taste. Bringing them into the warm (around 15°C) for a week or two will usually cure this. If the temperature has fallen around freezing or below, the potatoes will not only taste strange but become mushy and probably start to rot when the temperature rises. Freezing Potatoes In case you have time for extra food preparation, it is best if you can freeze chopped and blanched potatoes. As freezing raw potatoes imposes a health risk, make sure to pre-cook potatoes before storing them in the freezer. Solanine is almost exclusively located in the peel and first 1/8th inch (3.2 mm) of the flesh. Paring the skin and underlying green flesh can remove most of it ( 5). Summary 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). Raw potatoes don’t freeze well because of their high (80%) water content. They tend to discolour and change in taste and texture. But if you find yourself with way more spuds than you can cook before they sprout, go ahead and freeze some for later use.

Many homesteading skills are best learned through experience. And that I say from, well, experience. Smooth skin: Potatoes that have been damaged by cold temperatures may develop pitted skin and brown centers, so look for smooth textures.Now – before I go into specifics, I want to make a very important point: February potatoes are not July potatoes. And January potatoes are not August potatoes. As with most food that is kept for months on end, they fade from their stout and bold summer state to a state of… well, less luster. But that’s okay. Because March potatoes don’t need to be July potatoes. They just need to get us through till summer.

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). No sprouting: Sprouts are one of the first indicators of spoilage, so avoid purchasing any that have already sprouted.Either transfer your potatoes to a paper or mesh bag, like the Five Two Organic Cotton Reusable Produce Bags or a well-ventilated container. (They will be releasing carbon dioxide and water in the form of vapor, so things can get a little too damp.) If you’d like to keep them in the plastic bag they came in, make sure it’s well-perforated and that the top isn't tightly sealed. 3. Don’t Store Them Next to Your Onions Never store your potatoes in storage bags or airtight containers. Rather, choose a large bowl, basket, or mesh bag to store your potatoes in. You can also create a makeshift cardboard box with poked holes. After all, the secret to proper storage is good ventilation!