Potatoes are not like before. Contrary to what our intuition tells us when we hear that phrase, the change in potatoes is due to the fact that we use less “chemicals” in the cultivation and logistics process.
Questions and answers. As the food expert and disseminator points out Miguel A. Luruena has shed some light on a question that often puzzles us: how safe it is to eat potatoes once they have started to take root in our pantry. And by the way, it has also solved another perhaps less frequent question, that of why the speed at which these roots begin to take root can vary so much.
Chlorpropham and roots. The answer to this last question has to do with numerous factors such as the conditions in which we keep potatoes in our homes. But perhaps the most surprising reason lies in a compound called chlorpropham.
Chlorpropham is an organic compound that was used until relatively recently as an antigerminant, that is, a substance used to delay or prevent the germination of a plant, that is, to hinder its development and growth. This implies
In a decision that aroused reproach from some sectors, the European Union decided a few years ago to withdraw this product. The reason could be in its effects: supposedly carcinogenic and dangerous for the environment whose effects last over time.
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But what is the risk in potatoes? There are different compounds that, over time, can accumulate in these tubers. As Lurueña himself indicates, acrylamide is one of them. “When potatoes sprout, the starch begins to break down into its component sugars,” he explains.
As the Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (AESAN) explains, this substance appears naturally when we cook products that contain starch at high temperatures. Sproduces, specifically as a reaction of sugars and amino acids, especially asparagine.
The color of the potatoes. Even before the sprouts, it is convenient to look at the color that the potatoes acquire. The appearance of aspargarine is linked to a darkening of the potato, but when raw we must also pay attention to the appearance of green areas in the tuber.
When potatoes are exposed to light, a series of biochemical reactions can be unleashed that lead, on the one hand, to the appearance of chlorophyll in the potato, which gives it a green color, and the appearance of glycoalkaloids, a group of substances that, like the alpha-solanine of the potato, can be harmful to health.
The green color of chlorophyll serves as an indicator of the appearance of glycoalkaloids, so, although the green color is not exactly the cause that the potato can make us feel bad, it can serve as a signal to avoid it. It should also be added that the appearance of sprouts may also be linked to the synthesis of these chemicals.
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How to minimize the risks. Avoiding the risks of these substances is relatively simple. The first piece of advice is to avoid buying potatoes that have already begun germination processes or are already beginning to have a greenish tone.
The second is to preserve them in appropriate conditions. The ideal conditions to preserve the potato and avoid the processes that lead to its “reactivation” include keeping it in a cool place (the ideal temperature would be between 7 and 10ºC, but this is difficult in a home), dark (this way we will avoid especially the appearance of glycoalkaloids) and dry (for this we will need them to be in a ventilated place since potatoes tend to sweat moisture).
Regarding the preparation, peeling the potatoes and removing the part of the pulp surrounding the sprouts and parts with colors that are not typical of the potato is recommended. Regarding crafting, the advice may depend on your state. As the OCU explains, temperatures above 170ºC can “inactivate” glycoalkaloids. The problem is that temperatures higher than these can favor the appearance of asparagine.
A basic product among the basics. Since potato cultivation was imported from the Americas half a millennium ago, the tuber has become a mainstay of diets across Europe. Like rice and other grains, its durability has been key to achieving this prominent place. Still, taking precautions never hurts.
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The story How safe it is to eat potatoes once they have started to take root: what the science says was originally published on
xataka
by Pablo Martinez-Juarez.
