Why are rotten potatoes dangerous for health?

Rotten potatoes

Rotten potatoes and potato toxicity is the result of exposure to tubers of pathogenic fungi or bacteria. Mistakes made during planting, growing, harvesting and storing potatoes contribute to the rapid spread of disease and crop loss. Rotten potatoes smell disgusting and cause rotting of neighbouring vegetables. However, with the help of straightforward preventive measures for rotten potatoes and mass rotting of tubers can be prevented, and the damage can be minimized.

Why are rotten potatoes dangerous for health?

Before going in any description, we will point out our goals which we are gonna discuss in this article "Why rotten potatoes are dangerous for health." 

1. What is the poisoning effects of the rotten potatoes?
2. Can rotten potatoes make you sick?
3. Different causes of rotten potatoes.
4. Side effects of rotten potatoes,
5. How to protect potatoes from rotting in storage?

What is the poisoning effects of the rotten potatoes?

Rotten potatoes contain some toxic alkaloids, mainly Solanine and Chaetine, but generally cooked at 170 ° C, poisonous substances will decompose.

The potato contains Solanine, the poisoning component is Solanine, also known as potato toxin, but its content is shallow (0.005% - 0.01%), which is not enough to cause poisoning. However, in rotten potato, the content of Solanine in the shoots and buds can be as high as 0.3% - 0.5%. A healthy human body once ingested 0.2-0.4 grams of Solanine can cause acute sprouting potato poisoning.

Can rotten potatoes make you sick?

Rotten potato poisoning occurs 2 to 4 hours after eating. The performance is: 

First itching or burning sensation in the throat, 

Burning or pain in the upper abdomen, 

Gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea; 

Deep poisoning may cause dehydration, electrolyte imbalance and blood pressure due to severe vomiting and diarrhoea, Besides, often accompanied by dizziness, headache, mild disturbance of consciousness, etc., severe cases also coma and convulsions, and finally death due to heart failure, respiratory center paralysis.

Differents causes of rotting of potatoes

Why does potato rot immediately after harvesting, why does it begin to rot only at the end of storage? The answer is simple - rot is caused by different types of infection.

Rotting of potatoes by bacterial infections

The disease affects tubers, stems, leaves, and stolons. When the tuber is cut, rot is visible, which is located around the circumference. The disease is widespread and destroys up to half the crop. Affected tubers can transmit the disease for several generations without symptoms. A characteristic sign is a specific yellowish mucus, which is secreted by a section of the sagging leaves, the plants grow dwarf. The disease spreads when harvesting through damage to the skin of the tubers.

Rotting of potatoes by brown bacterial (quarantine disease)

Brown rot of potatoes destroys up to 70% of the crop in those countries where it is shared. Since 2011, the causative agent of the disease has been found on food potatoes from warm countries. Infection occurs through the root system. The first sign is the sudden withering of leaves, branches and the whole plant. The tuber turns brown and softens the vascular ring. During storage, the pulp is converted to dark mucus.

Potato wet rotting

Potato wet rot spreads quickly when stored in a warm and humid room with insufficient ventilation. Damp rot - penetrates tubers through cuts, scratches or cracks in the peel that occur when potatoes are affected by various types of scab.

Dry rotting of potatoes

Fusarium (dry rot) is a disease that develops during storage of tubers. Dry rot of potatoes affects tubers in the field, but the disease appears only during storage. First, greyish-brown folds appear on them, then the flesh of the potato becomes loose. And finally, the tissue dries, cavities with fluffy mycelium appear inside. Fusarium potatoes in storage are transmitted only to tubers with damaged peels.

Late blight rotting of potatoes

Late blight can be determined by the appearance of brown, blurry spots on the upper leaves, which appear during the closure of the tops. The plant either withers or rots, depending on the weather. The tubers become infected during the growth period; the spots on them are grey-brown, slightly depressed, dense. Without protective measures, late blight in 3 weeks can destroy the entire potato field. If you do not immediately destroy the first affected bushes, then this will cover the whole site. 

The most effective way to combat the causative agent of the disease is to spray potato plantings with a 2% solution of Bordeaux mixture;

Ring rotten potatoes 

A tuber girdles a wide yellow ring of infected tissue. The disease is dangerous because a diseased tuber is almost impossible to distinguish from a healthy one. Rotten patches of pulp are visible only on the cut of potatoes.

Side effects of rotten potatoes 

Moderate intake is not dangerous and excessive use may lead to several side effects, including: 

• Proper potatoes should be eaten as the potatoes that turn green with some buds carry some poisons that can not be disposed of and may cause abdominal pain and vomiting and diarrhoea. 
• They contain specific proteins that can sometimes cause allergies and nausea. 
• You should avoid taking them with anticoagulant medications as taking them with these drugs may lead to bleeding and bruising.

Protecting potatoes from rotting in storage

Pathogenic fungi continue to live in the repository even after all the potatoes are taken out. Therefore, before laying a new crop for storage of potatoes, the cellar is bleached with lime and copper sulfate, and all shelves and boxes are disinfected with a potassium permanganate solution. To get rid of mold.