‘Correct’ place and temperature to store potatoes to make them last months

There’s nothing more annoying than spending a small fortune on a food shop only for your goods to go off before their use-by dates.

To guard against this, and cut down on food waste, user Culinary Scientist Chef has shared the correct way to to make them last weeks or even months longer than usual.

The culinary scientist, who is known as @jessicaygavin on social media, shared a video explaining the ‘dos and don’t of storing potatoes’. She said: “Do not store them in the sunlight. It’s going to turn the skin green due to chlorophyll and develop toxins called solanine which is not good to eat.

“Do not store them in the refrigerator. Below 4C degrees, the starches will turn to sugar giving you a more sweeter taste and potential burning when frying. You’ll also notice some grey streaks when you’re cooking.”

To avoid sprouting, she recommends against storing them in hot and humid areas of your home, instead opting for a cool, dark cupboard. “You want to keep them between 10C to 15C. Waxy potatoes should last a couple of weeks whereas starchy ones about one to two months,” she added.

Commenting on her video, one user said: “How to store potatoes is a must thing to learn as if stored wrong they get green which is solanine in short poison.” Another user added: “I’ve always kept my potatoes in the fridge.”

A third user said: “My pantry is never going to be 10C to 16C. I use garage since pantry is also above my furnace and next to dishwasher. Always warmest place.”According to you need to store your potatoes in a dry, dark place as exposure to light or moisture can bring on rotting in the skin.

A statement reads: “You’ll also need to allow your spuds to be well-ventilated so avoid any airtight containers or spots – a netted bag or wicker basket should do the trick. Be sure your potatoes are kept in cool conditions as it increases storage length. Keeping your potatoes in your fridge is not recommended. Kitchen cupboards or cellars are the ideal locations as they tend to tick most of these boxes.

“Storing your potatoes in the correct way should see them lasting for several months, be sure to keep checking up on them as any rotting can spread if they are close in contact with each other. If you do spot any signs of rotting, turning green or sprouting then it is best to dispose of them.

“There are several ways to further elongate the lifetime of your spud! If you place your potatoes in a dark place on top of newspaper at a slightly warmer temperature the skin will thicken making it less prone to bruising and rotting.”