Potatoes are not only packed with nutrients (vitamin C, vitamin B6, potassium, magnesium, folate, iron and fibre), but they are also versatile, cost-effective, and easy-to-cook vegetable.
Uncooked potatoes are best stored in a cool and dry place, but don't put them in the refrigerator.
Baking, frying, or roasting potatoes that have been refrigerated can cause them to contain more sugar and a chemical called acrylamide.
Nandi Nyamende is a researcher at the South African Agricultural Research Council.
Her research interests include the South African pome fruit industry, physiological and pathological disorders in the industry, molecular microbiology, and food security.
She says when starchy foods, like potatoes and bread, are cooked at high temperatures (over 120°C), a chemical called acrylamide is created.
It's a toxic compound that is created when starchy foods such as potatoes are cooked at high temperatures, according to research findings. While its cancer-causing ability has yet to be demonstrated, it has the potential.
Although laboratory tests show that acrylamide in the diet causes cancer in animals, scientists agree that acrylamide in food has the potential to cause cancer in humans as well.
“This compound can be formed when foods are baked, fried, grilled, toasted or roasted. Acrylamide is not deliberately added to foods. It is a natural by-product of the cooking process and has always been present in our food”, she says.
There are a few ways to reduce your acrylamide consumption when preparing food at home; you should avoid storing raw potatoes in the fridge if you plan to cook them at high temperatures, such as roasting or frying.
Nyamende says that keeping raw potatoes in the fridge can lead to the formation of more free sugars in the potatoes. This process is sometimes called ‘cold sweetening’.
“Acrylamide levels will rise if the potatoes are fried, roasted, or baked after being cold sweetened. Raw potatoes should be stored in a dark, cool place at temperatures above 6°C" .
She emphasises that as consumers, we must be familiar with the label ingredients list because some ingredients are not permitted in certain food products.
The food industry has undertaken a lot of work to identify and implement measures to reduce acrylamide levels in food.
This includes developing guidance on ways to limit acrylamide formation in a variety of foods and processes.
New legislation will require food business operators to put in place simple, practical steps to manage acrylamide within their facilities.
Research is being conducted to find out how to reduce the levels of acrylamide in food as it cannot be reversed in foods once it has been produced.
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