Are Green Potatoes Dangerous to Eat?

When potatoes are stored in a warm bright place, tubers indicate that they might be in a suitable growing location and prepare to sprout. Chlorophyll production increases, which slowly tints the peel, and eventually some of the flesh, green. While chlorophyll is a harmless chemical, its presence in potatoes indicates that the tubers have also increased their production of a glycoalkaloid known as solanine. Solanine protects potatoes and other plants in the family Solanaceae from herbivory and serves to preserve the sprouting spud from hungry animal mouths. Solanine is considered a neurotoxin, and ingestion by humans can cause nausea and headaches and can lead to serious neurological problems and even death if enough is consumed. A recent study suggested that a 16-oz (450-gram) fully green potato is enough to make a small adult ill. Cooking does not destroy the solanine toxin, so the green parts of potatoes should be removed entirely. Green potatoes should especially not be served to children, whose smaller bodies make them more susceptible to poisoning. To reduce the risks, potatoes should be stored in cool dark areas, and when in doubt, throw them out (or plant them in your garden!).