Why Potatoes Turn Black Inside: It's Not Just About Storage Temperature

16.02.2023 20:01
Updated: 14.04.2023 03:01

The tubers may look healthy on the outside, but when you cook the dish, you discover that the inside of the vegetable has darkened.

There are several reasons why this happens. Even one of them can lead to an unfavorable outcome.

Storage temperature

Potatoes are stored at a positive temperature, but it should be cool. The optimal indicator is within +1 … +4 °C.

If the temperature is lower, the tubers will darken, and if it is higher, they will sprout.

Untimely harvesting

Harvesting too early or too late can also cause dark spots to appear inside the potatoes.

Potato
Photo: © Belnovosti

After harvesting, the vegetable should lie in the fresh air for about 3 weeks. This will help to weed out rotten tubers that could spoil part of the harvest.

If the potatoes darken after cooking, this indicates another problem. Perhaps the plant lacked potassium during ripening. Weather conditions and storage characteristics also leave their mark.

Dmitry Bobrovich Author: Dmitry Bobrovich Internet resource editor


Content
  1. Storage temperature
  2. Untimely harvesting