Recently, many people's circle of friends has appeared a message that "potatoes do not put in the refrigerator with more toxins", potatoes are a spare dish for many families, so how should potatoes be stored and eaten?

Fan Zhihong, associate professor of the Department of Nutrition and Food Safety at the College of Food Science of China Agricultural University, pointed out that potatoes naturally contain a class of trace amounts of nitrogen-containing steroidal alkaloid toxic substances called solanine, also known as solanine, which usually exists in the form of glycosides. For potatoes, this alkaloid is a powerful "weapon" for self-protection, with disease-resistant, insect-resistant, anti-mold effects, and plays a role in preventing other animals from eating potato sprouts.
　　So, how poisonous can solanine be? According to reports, the toxicity of solanine damages the biofilm of cells, which is very similar to organophosphorus pesticides, which will make people feel numbness in the mouth and tongue, nausea, diarrhea, confusion, etc., and can be fatal in severe cases. A 2002 study also found that even if it does not cause significant poisoning amounts, the toxins in potatoes can damage the intestinal mucosa after reaching a certain amount, causing intestinal discomfort and chronic digestive disorders, such as "irritable bowel syndrome."
　　Fan Zhihong pointed out that under normal circumstances, the content of this toxin in potatoes is very, very low, so as not to cause poisoning problems. The measurement data published in China in 1995 showed that the lowest content was the peeled part of ordinary potatoes, and the content in 100 grams of potato meat was only 0 according to fresh weight. 014 g; If you want to eat it with the skin, the content is slightly higher, which is 0. 026 g.
　　For this toxin, the semi-lethal amount in rats is 75 mg/kg, which is roughly equivalent to a person weighing about 50 kilograms eats 3.75 grams a day, which is equivalent to eating 15 kg of potatoes with skin. Divide this amount by 100 and eat 150 grams of normal potatoes with skin every day without causing poisoning. It can be seen that there is no germination and greening. Potatoes, if they can be thinly peeled, are safest. Potatoes that are not peeled, if not eaten particularly much, will not have poisoning problems. If you eat sprouted potatoes that turn green, there is a considerable risk of poisoning.
　　In addition, storage studies have also found that potatoes prefer a cooler environment, and the higher the storage temperature, the higher the toxins produced. Foreign studies have found that if there is light, the toxin content will double for 24 hours at 7 °C; It becomes 4 times at 16 °C, and even rises to 9 times at 24 °C. Therefore, if there is no vegetable cellar, it is better not to buy more potatoes, and it is best to eat them in time.
　　In the hot summer and autumn, potatoes must be put in the refrigerator in time after they are bought. When the days are cool in winter and spring, do not put it in a heated room, it is best to put it on a cold balcony. At the same time, it is better to wrap it in a black or opaque bag, so that it does not see the light, so that the potatoes are ready to sprout and increase the content of toxins.
　　In addition, this toxin does not dissolve much in water, so soaking in tap water is not effective. It can only partially dissolve under acidic conditions, and heating under acidic conditions can destroy it. Therefore, adding some vinegar to the potatoes is a good way to ensure safety and improve taste.