If you keep your potatoes in the fridge, you might want to take them out … right this very second.
According to the Foods Standards Agency, potatoes are the most important food to keep out of the fridge.
“When these are stored in the fridge, the starch in the potato is converted to sugar,” it states on their website.
“When baked or fried, these sugars combine with the amino acid asparagine and produce the chemical acrylamide, which is thought to be harmful.”
Acrylamide is a chemical used in industrial processes, such as the production of paper and plastics and has also been linked with cancer.
The chemical has also been found in chips and French fries.
However, don’t think you need to avoid potatoes for good.
The FSA says, “We recommend that, when making chips at home, they are cooked to a light golden colour. Manufacturers’ instructions for frying or oven-heating foods should be followed carefully.”
Just be sure to keep your spuds in a cool, dry place – just NOT the fridge.
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