The potato has many advantages:it is a culinary all-rounder that can be prepared and used in almost countless ways. In addition, it is healthy, low in calories and rich in nutrients. Another plus:if you've bought too much, it's also very easy to store. In fact, if stored properly, potatoes can last for many weeks. Here are some tips to keep potatoes fresh for a long time.
A dark and dry cellar space is best for storing potatoes. If you don't have those, you can store potatoes in the pantry. Exposure to light and moisture can be reduced here by covering the potatoes with, for example, paper or cloth. Potatoes like airy. A wicker basket or a potato bag made of linen are therefore ideal for storage. A wooden potato crate is also a good alternative. Potato lovers should forgo plastic containers and plastic sheeting when covering.
If potatoes get too much light, solanine can develop, which makes the potatoes taste bitter and inedible. This can be recognized by the green discoloration of the tuber. Moisture, on the other hand, causes the tubers to rot or mould.
The storage temperature for potatoes should be between 4 and 10 degrees Celsius, so that the tubers feel completely comfortable. At temperatures above 10 degrees they can germinate or dry out. At temperatures below 4 degrees, the potato starch is converted into sugar, which often gives potatoes that have been stored too cold a sweet taste. So they should not be kept in the refrigerator. Late potatoes harvested in the fall will keep the longest. Because their firm skin makes them particularly robust. If you store potatoes for a long time, check them regularly and always remove rotten tubers. With smaller germination sites it is sufficient to cut them off liberally. However, strongly sprouted potatoes should be discarded.
