Are green potatoes safe to eat? Debunking the myth behind Coles' 50-cent markdown
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Have you ever come across a deal that seems almost too good to be true? It's a feeling that most of us have experienced at some point in our lives.
Whether it's a sale at our favourite store, a promotional offer for a service we've been eyeing, or a discount on a product we've been wanting to buy, we can't help but feel a rush of excitement at the prospect of getting a great deal.
However, while it’s great to get a good deal, it’s always important to be wary of items that seem too good to be true and to do your proper research before paying for them.
Recently, one bargain hunter took to the Markdown Addicts Australia Facebook group to share that her local Coles at Ballarat Central was offering potatoes at an unbelievably low markdown of 50 cents per kilogram.
While the post elicited a lot of excitement from group members, some members were concerned about the quality of the potatoes being retailed at marked-down prices.
One person wrote: 'These potatoes shouldn’t be able to be purchased, most of them are going green.'
‘It's because they are going green, not meant to eat them,’ another agreed.
The shopper replied to these comments, sharing that she purchased the ones that still looked edible.
She commented: ‘The ones I got are all fine, just make sure to grab the white ones!’
Others said that the potatoes with green patches are still edible as long as you remove the patches before cooking.
One user said: ‘You can cut the green parts off and still eat them. I've done it before and I was okay.’
‘They look fine to me, that's a great score,’ another shared.
‘Peel the green skin off, and they will be fine. I've done it numerous times. We are all still here and had no ill effects. I've been cooking for 40 years for my family and haven’t poisoned anyone yet.’
So, what’s the real story behind these vegetables? Can we still eat them?
Sabine Tanios, a PhD candidate in Tasmania, has conducted research on the factors that cause greening in potatoes and ways of reducing it.
Consumers are hesitant to purchase potatoes with green patches due to the accumulation of glycoalkaloids – compounds known to be toxic when consumed in large amounts.
Tanios’s research concludes that green potatoes offered for sale are perfectly safe to consume as long as you peel away the green spots beforehand.
She also explained that her research is investigating various factors that may be causing greening in potatoes, including the impact of light wavelength, nitrogen, genetics, and harvesting times.
Ms Tanios noted: ‘Light is the main factor affecting greening.’
‘Keeping potatoes in the dark is the key factor towards avoiding greening, but in the supermarket, you cannot keep your potatoes in a black box.’
‘When you use blue light, greening can occur very quickly, while if you use green light, greening is much less.’
The wide-ranging impact of Ms Tanio’s research cannot be overstated, as greening remains a major contributor to annual losses amounting to millions of dollars.
Moreover, given that potatoes are the fourth-most important food crop globally, the research has far-reaching implications for global food security.
Members, we all want to save money and bag ourselves a bargain, but it’s important to ensure that we’re looking out for our own safety too.
Have you ever purchased marked-down fruits and vegetables? Tell us about it in the comments below!
Whether it's a sale at our favourite store, a promotional offer for a service we've been eyeing, or a discount on a product we've been wanting to buy, we can't help but feel a rush of excitement at the prospect of getting a great deal.
However, while it’s great to get a good deal, it’s always important to be wary of items that seem too good to be true and to do your proper research before paying for them.
Recently, one bargain hunter took to the Markdown Addicts Australia Facebook group to share that her local Coles at Ballarat Central was offering potatoes at an unbelievably low markdown of 50 cents per kilogram.
While the post elicited a lot of excitement from group members, some members were concerned about the quality of the potatoes being retailed at marked-down prices.
A bargain hunter’s post about discounted potatoes sparked a heated debate on their edibility. Credit: Facebook/Markdown Addicts Australia/Shutterstock.
One person wrote: 'These potatoes shouldn’t be able to be purchased, most of them are going green.'
‘It's because they are going green, not meant to eat them,’ another agreed.
The shopper replied to these comments, sharing that she purchased the ones that still looked edible.
She commented: ‘The ones I got are all fine, just make sure to grab the white ones!’
Others said that the potatoes with green patches are still edible as long as you remove the patches before cooking.
One user said: ‘You can cut the green parts off and still eat them. I've done it before and I was okay.’
‘They look fine to me, that's a great score,’ another shared.
‘Peel the green skin off, and they will be fine. I've done it numerous times. We are all still here and had no ill effects. I've been cooking for 40 years for my family and haven’t poisoned anyone yet.’
An infographic on what to check when purchasing potatoes. Credit: Seniors Discount Club.
So, what’s the real story behind these vegetables? Can we still eat them?
Sabine Tanios, a PhD candidate in Tasmania, has conducted research on the factors that cause greening in potatoes and ways of reducing it.
Consumers are hesitant to purchase potatoes with green patches due to the accumulation of glycoalkaloids – compounds known to be toxic when consumed in large amounts.
Tanios’s research concludes that green potatoes offered for sale are perfectly safe to consume as long as you peel away the green spots beforehand.
She also explained that her research is investigating various factors that may be causing greening in potatoes, including the impact of light wavelength, nitrogen, genetics, and harvesting times.
Ms Tanios noted: ‘Light is the main factor affecting greening.’
‘Keeping potatoes in the dark is the key factor towards avoiding greening, but in the supermarket, you cannot keep your potatoes in a black box.’
‘When you use blue light, greening can occur very quickly, while if you use green light, greening is much less.’
The wide-ranging impact of Ms Tanio’s research cannot be overstated, as greening remains a major contributor to annual losses amounting to millions of dollars.
Moreover, given that potatoes are the fourth-most important food crop globally, the research has far-reaching implications for global food security.
Members, we all want to save money and bag ourselves a bargain, but it’s important to ensure that we’re looking out for our own safety too.
Have you ever purchased marked-down fruits and vegetables? Tell us about it in the comments below!
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