Is it surprising to say that potatoes are also poisonous? The poison here is not about the pesticides and fungicides that farmers use for their crops. This is a natural defense mechanism created by plants and other family plants, such as tomatoes, brinjal, and tobacco, to protect themselves from pests and pathogenic fungi.
A glycoalkaloid called solanine is a toxin that the potato plant produces to protect itself.
A small amount of solanine is enough to cause disease in humans. Solanine at 2-5 mg/kg body mass is sufficient to cause disease in humans. Death can also occur if ingested in very large quantities.
Organs affected by solanum: digestive tract, nervous system.
The disease starts from 8-12 hours after consumption. Symptoms can sometimes appear as early as 30 minutes.
Symptoms:
Dizziness, or nausea
Diarrhea,
Vomiting,
Stomach cramps,
Burning of the throat,
Heart arrhythmia,
Headache
Potatoes produce high levels of solanine when exposed to sunlight or electric light. This is the mechanism by which potatoes are carried out to fight tuber-eating insects and disease-causing fungi when the tuber is brought out of the soil. The amount of solan increases very rapidly when fungal infections attack the potato crop or potato.
How do we know the Solanine in potatoes:
Usually, when potatoes are exposed to sunlight or electric light, their surface turns green. It is a non-toxic substance that normally supports photosynthesis (chlorophyll) in the leaves and stems. The formation of a toxin called solanine takes place in parallel with the process of chlorophyll formation. But the two are not interconnected processes. If the potatoes are high in green, it means that they are high in the toxin solanine. As well as solanine-containing potatoes give bitterness. Similarly, the amount of solanine increases as the potatoes begin to germinate.
Solanine toxins are usually present in potatoes, which are not perishable when boiled in water. So even cooked potatoes are not safe. The amount of solanine can be reduced by frying completely in oil.
How to cook Solanine-containing potatoes?
After the potatoes are well washed and cleaned, inspect the potatoes.
If the potatoes are green, peel off as much of the area as the green, and cut off all the areas where the green may have spread inside the tuber, and then cook.
People with allergies are advised to avoid cooking such green potatoes.
It is necessary to protect the potatoes from glare or sunlight in the home.
Avoiding Cooking Potato Infected Potatoes: Sometimes people who found fungal infections in potatoes may cut off the rotten part and cook the excess part. They should avoid it completely.
Avoid cooking sprouted potatoes.
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