Product of the month (September 2023)
POTATO
Potato (Solanum tuberosum) is a plant species that belongs to the potato family. Potato is also a common term for the plant's root, which is a staple food in many parts of the world. The plant grows wild in South America, where several similar species are also cultivated. Within the potato family, there are other plant species that are grown for food, such as tomatoes and peppers.
The potato is a perennial herb with compound leaves. In countries with cold winters, it freezes and is therefore only annual. The plant grows between 30 and 80 cm tall, and its above-ground parts are toxic. This especially applies to the fruit - a tomato-like berry with many small kidney-shaped seeds - which develops from the white, pink, yellow, or blue flower. The plant contains solanine, a substance that is toxic to both humans and other animals, as protection against fungal and bacterial infections.
The edible underground tubers grow beneath the soil and are usually white, yellow, or pink. The skin can vary in color. The skin can be eaten if the potato is properly cleaned. Potato skin contains many nutrients, but environmental toxins can also accumulate in it easily. If the tubers are exposed to sunlight, the skin begins to produce chlorophyll and turns green. At the same time, solanine is produced, which is why green potatoes should not be consumed.
All above-ground parts of a potato plant are toxic, but not normally colored tubers. Exposure to light causes the potato tuber to turn green due to the same substance, chlorophyll. This substance is not dangerous, but light also increases the production of two glycoalkaloids, solanine and chaconine. They naturally occur in potatoes that have not been exposed to light, at levels of 20-100 mg per kilogram of potatoes. These substances serve as protection against bacteria, fungi, and insects. The levels vary somewhat between potato varieties. Elevated levels can occur because of extreme weather conditions, exposure to light, or mechanical damage.
