All produce has its place. Proper storage is the key to resisting spoilage.

Some, such as avocados,will sit on your counter mingling with the bread.

Most root vegetables will retreat into a cool, dark pantry or cellar.

Delicate fruits will lounge in the refrigerator.

For the most part, potatoes will go into the pantry with all of the other room temperature root vegetables; however, will potatoes actually go bad in the fridge? Can I store my potatoes in the fridge safely, and will they taste okay? Let’s see what might happen if you put your beloved tubers into the icebox.

Do Potatoes Go Bad in the Fridge?

For the most part, potatoes will store well in the fridge, and it may greatly delay decomposition. I can absolutely confirm that it delays sprouting when storing seed tubers through the winter. However, just because they don’t go bad when refrigerated does not mean that you’ll want to eat them! As discussed below, the flavor will change greatly and it gives the potato the ability to produce a potentially harmful compound. If you are going to store potatoes in the fridge, I would not store the ones that you intend to eat. You can keep your seed potatoes well preserved by keeping them cold, and this cooling process will mimic a winter, as well. I personally feel as if this speeds the chitting process when they are brought to room temperature.

What Happens When Potatoes Are Stored in the Fridge?

When you store a potato in the refrigerator, you actually encourage an interesting chemical reaction within the potato. The starches, or carbohydrates, within the potato transform into sugars. This means that your potatoes that are meant for ingestion will be unappealing and sweet.  This process does not harm potatoes that are intended for growing, so feel free to store the seeds in the icebox! However, the previously refrigerated potatoes will create a potentially hazardous chemical when they are cooked!

Will a Refrigerated Potato Make Me Sick?

Even though potatoes go through this unique process of sugar conversion when refrigerated, this is not the cause for concern. Aside from the potentially unpleasant flavor, cold potatoes will not cause you any harm. However, cooking them causes the sugars to react with asparagine, an amino acid. This reaction results in acrylamide, a chemical that is believed to be very harmful. If you have green potatoes loaded with solanine in the refrigerator, I recommend considering it a loss and tossing them.

What Situations Are Ideal for Storing Potato Tubers in a Refrigerator?

If you are adamant about storing your tubers in the fridge, I can only recommend only two different situations. Ensuring that they are either cooked, or for planting purposes.

•  Fully cooked potatoes, whether they be roasted, mashed, boiled, or fried, should be tightly covered in an air tight container and stored at the proper temperature for food safety. These potatoes will store just fine, and will reheat fairly well; as long as they are not french fries or other crisp products.
• If you have an issue with seed tubers sprouting too soon, the icebox will be the best place to preserve them until spring arrives. It drastically slows the rate at which the sprouts will grow.