Why can't sprouted potatoes be eaten?

Why can't sprouted potatoes be eaten?

The reason is very simple, because a toxin called solanine, also called solanine, is produced in sprouted potatoes. Eating sprouted and green potatoes may cause poisoning.

Why do potato sprouting produce toxins? Are sprouted green potatoes absolutely inedible?

Since the potato grows in the ground, many people think of it as the root of the plant.

In fact, potatoes are the stems of plants, which are called underground tubers because they lie underground and are lumpy.

Since it is a stem, it has the general characteristics of a plant stem. For example, those eye-like depressions on the surface of potatoes are actually its stem nodes.

Since it is a stem node, like other plants, such as bamboo nodes, it can sprout from this part and grow new stems, leaves, and even plants.

We know that many plants can breed new plants through "cutting", using the principle that stem nodes can germinate.

This is why potatoes sprout.

Since potatoes are the stems of plants, they will sprout at a certain temperature.

Under the action of light, it will also produce chlorophyll for photosynthesis like the stems of other plants.

Potatoes turn green because of the production of chlorophyll.

We know that the so-called green plants are because they contain a lot of chlorophyll, and green leafy vegetables are also one of the foods with the highest nutritional value.

Therefore, chlorophyll is not toxic.

Sprouted potatoes are poisonous because, as the potatoes begin to grow and produce green chlorophyll, they also produce an alkaloid called solanine, which is designed to prevent bacterial, fungal infection, and the gnawing of other animals and parasites. Therefore, this compound is toxic.

Unfortunately, solanine is just as toxic to humans.

Therefore, in green sprouting potatoes, chlorophyll and solanine often exist at the same time, and the content is higher in the green potatoes under the skin and in the flesh around the sprouting.

However, depending on the variety, greening and sprouting are not always "parallel", some green potatoes contain toxin angles, and some sprouted potatoes can contain more solanine even if they are not green.

There is still a lack of rigorous research on the toxicity of solanine to humans.

However, according to case reports of solanine poisoning and preliminary human toxicology studies, ingestion of 2 mg/kg body weight of solanine in adults is sufficient to cause symptoms of toxicity, and a minimum dose of 1.25 mg/kg body weight can cause some individuals poisoning.

This is equivalent to a person weighing 50 kg eating almost 1 catties (450 g) of potatoes with a solanine content of 20 mg/100 g.

The toxicity of solanine is due to its inhibition of cholinesterase, which breaks down acetylcholine, resulting in the accumulation of acetylcholine; at the same time, it can also act by disrupting the permeability of cell membranes.

Therefore, sprouted potato poisoning is mainly manifested as stomach pain, abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, mydriasis, fever, headache, irritability, hallucinations, even loss of consciousness, slow heart rate, slow breathing, etc.

In extremely rare cases, ingesting large amounts of this toxin can also cause death.

However, poisoning from eating sprouted potatoes is generally mild, with full recovery within a few hours.

Some people say that as long as the green skin is peeled off, and the potato flesh around the sprouts is removed, the toxins can be removed and it is safe to eat.

is this real?

The toxins are mainly found under the green skin and around the germination. The above treatment can indeed remove a large part of the toxins, but it cannot remove them completely.

Therefore, the above processing cannot guarantee absolute security.

Others say that sprouted green potatoes can be safely eaten as long as they are boiled in boiling water to remove toxins.

In fact, boiling, and other cooking methods including baking, microwaving or frying do not significantly reduce solanine levels. So these tricks don't make eating sprouted potatoes any safer.