Many stock up on potatoes for the future, and then the question arises about its safety. Can potatoes be stored in the refrigerator? As a rule, it is placed in a dark, moist and cool place, for example, in the basement. At first glance, similar conditions exist in the refrigerator. Yes, but only in the vegetable compartment. Potatoes will really feel good here and will lie down for a long time. But on the shelves the temperature is too low for him, he will soon begin to freeze, get wet and go bad. At low temperatures, potato starch breaks down and converts to simple sugars, which are not very healthy.
Under what conditions should potatoes be stored?
Recommendations for storing potatoes are specified in GOST 28372-93 “Fresh food potatoes. Storage Guide. ”
According to the document, the optimal conditions for storing potatoes are as follows:
- Tubers can be stored in crates, bags, on pallets or in bulk.
- Potatoes breathe, produce heat and carbon dioxide. Therefore, ventilation should be provided.
- Vegetables must be placed in a dark place where light does not penetrate.
- The recommended temperature regime for storing potatoes is 3–6 ° С.
- The humidity level is 85–95%.
Are potatoes stored in the refrigerator? And no, and yes. First of all, a lot of space is needed to store it. There is too little space in domestic refrigerators, and a suitable temperature is only maintained in the vegetable compartment. In addition, there is no necessary ventilation inside the chamber. But in large rooms equipped with industrial refrigeration equipment, potatoes are stored perfectly. The warehouses provide the necessary air circulation, ventilation works, and the refrigerator allows you to maintain a stable temperature.
At home, the refrigerator is not the best place to store potatoes.
Storage of potatoes in the refrigerator - arguments for
First of all, storing potatoes in the refrigerator is dictated by convenience. To make soup or mashed potatoes, you do not need to go down to the cellar or basement every time.
Advantages of using a refrigerator:
- The temperature in the refrigerator is stable. There are no temperature differences, as in rooms (especially in the kitchen).
- It’s dark and humid inside the chamber - this is what is required for tubers.
- When stored in a refrigerator, vegetables are always at hand.
- Here, the potatoes will not fade or dry in the hot summer, and will not germinate in the late winter.
It is best to store potatoes in a cellar or basement in wooden boxes with holes.
Facts Against
Potatoes are a valuable crop. It supplies the body with nutrients and contains many vitamins and minerals. But when stored in a refrigerator, there is a high risk of loss of nutritional properties. That's why potatoes are not recommended to be stored in it:
- The temperature in household refrigerators ranges from 0 to +6 degrees. At the same time, the shelves are colder than at the door or in the drawers for vegetables. The starch contained in the tubers, even at 1 ° C, breaks down into simple sugars, which harm human health. Potatoes with a high sugar content are easily recognized by their sweet taste and friability when cooking.
- There is no necessary air movement in the refrigerator. Accordingly, tubers do not breathe, get wet and rot. The exception is a technique with a dynamic cooling system or Frost Free.
- The potato is too dirty for the refrigerator. Earth falls from it, so you need to use packages. But when stored in polyethylene, it, again, does not breathe and rots.
- A household refrigerator cannot hold a lot of potatoes. It will not be possible to store in it a crop harvested for the winter. A maximum of 10-12 kg will fit into the vegetable compartment.
Caution! If the tubers are wrinkled or blackened, they should not be eaten. Throw them away without regret. You should also get rid of green potatoes. This color is given to it by the substance solanine, which can cause poisoning.
Rules for storing potatoes in the refrigerator
So that the potatoes do not deteriorate ahead of time, you need to know some subtleties.
Storage Rules:
- Store potatoes in the vegetable compartment. If the model of the refrigerator allows you to adjust the temperature, set 3-6 ° C.
- The potato does not tolerate neighborhood with other vegetables, with the exception of beets. Do not put anything else in the compartment (carrots, onions, cabbage, etc.). You can put a green apple or a sprig of mint. They say that potatoes do not spoil longer.
- The tubers are usually quite dirty, so they are placed in a bag in the refrigerator. But a plastic bag will not work. In it, the potato suffocates and begins to rot. Use a paper bag.
- Potatoes should only be stored in a dry form. If you decide to wash it, be sure to dry it in the wild.
If there is no suitable place to store vegetables, it will be right to buy them as needed with a small margin.
Storage duration
The shelf life of fresh potatoes depends not only on the place and conditions, but also on the variety and on the proper preparation. Freshly dug potatoes must be kept warm for 10-14 days, so that all damage is dragged on it and it dries. Then rotting tubers are selected, and the crop is placed in storage.
How many potatoes can be stored in the refrigerator under all conditions?
- Young, dug up in June - 3 weeks.
- Early maturity is 4–5 months.
- Medium and late –5–7 months.
To store vegetables and fruits, special refrigerators are produced. You can find them in household appliances stores. The price of such equipment is quite high - 50,000 rubles and more.
Storage of peeled potatoes
Peeled potatoes, which are sold in supermarkets in a vacuum, are treated with sodium sulfide salts for better preservation. Without violating the integrity of the package, it can lie in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. If the packaging is opened, the product must be consumed within 2-3 days.
As for potatoes that have been peeled at home, they can be stored in the refrigerator for about 24 hours. In this case, you must immerse the tubers in water. Do not cut them in advance; whole potatoes are stored better and longer.
If after a day the peeled potato has not been used, cut it into slices and freeze. Subsequently, you can cook any dishes from it. The workpiece is not thawed, but immediately thrown into boiling water or in a pan.
Boiled potatoes
There are many potato dishes in Russian national cuisine: okroshka, potato pancakes, potato balls and others. Often it is boiled a lot right away, with a margin. If the boiled potato remains, you can store it in the cold for up to 2 days in a bowl with a tightly closed lid. Jacket potatoes are stored a little longer - 3 days, provided that the temperature on the shelf is about 3-4 ° C.
So, you can store potatoes in the refrigerator. But you must follow the storage rules. Place the vegetables in the lower compartment after wrapping them in paper. Note that small lots of potatoes will fit there. It is best to use the refrigerator as a temporary storage. You can take the potatoes from the basement and place it in the refrigerator for 1 month in batches of 5-10 kg. So it will always be at hand and will not spoil from temperature changes in the room.