Potatoes usually have a long shelf life, but many people don’t realize that when stored near certain vegetables, they can quickly mold and rot.
In late winter, it’s convenient to store potatoes in the kitchen so you can make hearty recipes like stews or soups, but it can be frustrating if the potatoes go bad ahead of time.
It may seem obvious that all vegetables are stored in the same place in the kitchen, but certain products quickly begin to rot if stored together in the same space.
Alice Osborne, an expert at Cook’n, shared that some of the worst vegetables to keep next to potatoes are onions and garlic.
She said: “She says that, for example, potatoes that are not fit for consumption are very dangerous: ‘Avoid storing onions together with potatoes. Keeping onions and potatoes together speeds up the process of potato ripening, which leads to the growth of eyes and sometimes roots in potatoes. This also applies to garlic. Keep them away from potatoes.”
Onions release a natural gas called ethylene, a plant hormone that causes products to ripen and become more aromatic over time.
If too much ethylene is released in a confined room, all vegetables or fruits can quickly spoil prematurely, and potatoes are usually very sensitive to ethylene gas.
Potatoes also contain a lot of moisture, which can cause both garlic and onions to start moldy if stored near them.
It is best to store potatoes away from garlic and onions, at room temperature, in a dark place in the kitchen.
It is best not to leave potatoes on the kitchen countertop, as they can start producing a poisonous compound called solanine when exposed to light, which cannot be swallowed.
Due to the light, the potatoes will begin to germinate, acquire a terribly bitter taste and even turn green.
Potatoes should also not be stored in the refrigerator, as low temperatures cause starch to turn into sugar, which greatly shortens their shelf life and makes them soft and rotten.
Storing potatoes in the refrigerator can also produce a lot of acrylamide, a chemical compound that can increase the risk of cancer.
It is best to store potatoes in a cupboard, drawer, or even pantry, if you have one in the kitchen.
Once you’ve found the right place to store your potatoes, it’s important to store them in a container with plenty of ventilation, as more in the airspace will keep the vegetables dry.
Potatoes that are not stored properly release moisture, which can cause mold and start to germinate.
To keep your potatoes longer, store them in a basket, paper bag, mesh bag, or container without a lid.
If you store potatoes in a cool, dark, airy place, away from onions, the potatoes should stay fresh for up to six months longer than usual.
