'Green' potato health risk can be eliminated by cutting away affected area

Potatoes that have turned 'green' can potentially contain a naturally occurring toxin called Glycoalkaloids (GA) and pose a risk to public health according to a review paper published in the latest online issue of SCI's Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture (JSFA).

However, the good news is that cutting away the 'green' affected area is enough to eliminate most of the GAs to reduce the risk.

The paper also suggests that the levels of GA in potatoes can be controlled effectively by adopting appropriate pre-harvest and post-harvest practices – and therefore farmers and producers can do much to reduce the public risks of GAs.

Some measures include keeping tubers well covered with soil during growth, allowing them to mature before harvesting, avoiding harvest at very high temperatures and minimising exposure to light.

GAs are a naturally occurring toxic substance in potatoes that have antimicrobial, insecticidal and fungicidal properties which probably evolved as a protective mechanism against invasion by foreign bodies to protect the plant against pests and disease.

However, they can be toxic to humans and can cause serious illness at concentrations of >280 mg kg-1 f.w.

Symptoms generally occur after 8-12 hours after ingestion and can include gastrointestinal disturbances and neurological disorders. Mild symptoms can include headaches, dizziness, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. Other symptoms can include restlessness, drowsiness and mental confusion, trembling and hallucination but because the symptoms are common to a whole host of other ailments, mistaken diagnoses can occur.

Source: Society of Chemical Industry

   

• Egnite - Jul 25, 2008
  • Rank: 3 / 5 (2)
  lol, I heard the green from potatoes could make you trip but I didn't believe it enough to test it. Who'd have thought it were true?
  
  

  Symptoms generally occur after 8-12 hours after ingestion and can include gastrointestinal disturbances and neurological disorders. Mild symptoms can include headaches, dizziness, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. Other symptoms can include restlessness, drowsiness and mental confusion, trembling and hallucination but because the symptoms are common to a whole host of other ailments, mistaken diagnoses can occur

  
  
  
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• Rick69 - Jul 25, 2008
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  I wonder how many years of schooling and research these "scientists" needed to make this "amazing" discovery. My grandmother came to the same conclusion through good ol' common sense!
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• dirk_bruere - Jul 25, 2008
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  Another result from researchers at the University of the Blindingly Obvious. Next - don't eat wild mushrooms unless you know what they because some can be poisonous.
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• gopher65 - Jul 25, 2008
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  Hehehe. Well, I suppose it is nice to have "official" confirmation of this, but the agriculture department at my local university has been telling people this for... decades. I have the funny feeling that they weren't just pulling that out of thin air, so I'm pretty sure this research has been done before.
  

  The paper also suggests that the levels of GA in potatoes can be controlled effectively by adopting appropriate pre-harvest and post-harvest practices — and therefore farmers and producers can do much to reduce the public risks of GAs.

  
  In other words... don't leave them in the sun. This is one of several reasons why you're suppose to store potatoes in cool, dark places. Honestly, did these people even google this subject before the decided to write a paper on it? This is all already well known.
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• KB6 - Jul 26, 2008
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  "Other symptoms can include restlessness, drowsiness and mental confusion, trembling and hallucination...".
  --
  Great, the next big drug "craze".
  Don't laugh; If you're willing to huff PC duster you'll try anything.
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