Greening of potatoes

 Greening of potatoes

Have you seen potatoes turn green? Greening of potatoes occurs primarily due to improper storage conditions and can also be caused by mechanical damages. Chlorophyll gets generated due to which potatoes turn green. 

But the most important thing is that the appearance of green colour indicates the presence of a toxic compound called ‘solanine.’ Toxins are found throughout the potato and at higher levels in greened areas.

Potatoes should not necessarily be exposed to light to turn green, but light exposure can facilitate solanine formation. Light exposure may cause an increase in solanine formation tenfold.

Is it safe to consume greened potatoes?

If the greening is limited only to the top of the skin or to a limited area, it can usually be cut off, and the remainder is sometimes consumed as per regular practices. But knowingly consuming a potent toxic-containing food, considering it to be safe, is something to think about! However, if the potato tastes bitter, you should not continue to eat it. Better avoid green potatoes! 

What is solanine?

Fully refined solanine appears in the form of a gray-green liquid. Solanine is a glycoalkaloid. Solanine is formed by combining solanose (a sugar) and solanidine (alkaloid.)

Solanose + Solanidine → Solanine

(a sugar)   (an alkaloid) (a glycoalkaloid)

Glycoalkaloids are derived from alkaloids with sugar groups appended and tend to be potentially toxic when ingested.

Lethal Dose

Solanine is poisonous even in small quantities. But a 200-pound person would have to eat 2 pounds of fully green domesticated potatoes in a single day to exert advert effects. Solanine is poorly absorbed through the gut wall, so it is noticeably toxic when injected.

Symptoms

Solanine directly irritates the mucosal membrane (the innermost tunic of the wall) of the digestive tract. If solanine is absorbed into the bloodstream hemolysis (breakdown or destruction) of red blood cells occurs.

Signs of solanine poisoning

• Excessive salivation

• Diarrhea

• Slowed pulse

• Reduced blood pressure (can lead to cardiac arrest)

• Low temperature in the body

• Paralysis shock

• Fever

• Widened eye’s pupils

• Headache

• Delirium

• Loss of sensation

• Hallucinations

Common symptoms of solanine poisoning occur 2-24 hours after introduction into the body.