Dubai, United Arab Emirates – Research has revealed that exposing potatoes to sunlight or storing them at temperatures exceeding 4 degrees Celsius increases the concentration of the toxic substance solanine several times.
Dr. Paulina Kolach, an assistant professor at the Russian University of Biotechnology, points out that when potatoes turn green, they begin to produce chlorophyll.
It is a harmless dye in itself, along with the toxic substance solanine from the group of glycoalkaloids.
She explains that prolonged exposure of potatoes to light increases the concentration of solanine.
A dose ranging between 2 and 5 mg per kilogram of body weight may lead to poisoning.
It also causes nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and dizziness.
In severe cases, hallucinations and disturbances in the functioning of the central nervous system may appear.
She points out that boiling or frying partially reduces the content of this toxic substance, but the danger does not disappear completely.
Once solanine enters the blood, it begins to have a harmful effect on the heart, vessels, nervous, respiratory, and urinary systems.
In acute poisoning, a person may experience shortness of breath, general weakness, and headache.
Complications may include partial paralysis, suffocation, or even cardiac arrest, although these findings remain rare in healthy adults.
Kolach stresses that green potatoes are especially dangerous for children, pregnant women, and those with chronic diseases of the digestive system.
It is recommended to store potatoes in cool, dark places such as cloth bags or opaque containers.
If slight greenness appears on the tuber, it is preferable to remove a layer 1-2 cm deep.
If the greenery is dense or clear buds appear, it is best to get rid of them and use them only for agriculture and not for food.
