Even before the moment when the potatoes will be ready, to understand whether the bitterness?
It happens that the appearance of the tubers shows that the potato will taste bitter. You can tell by the green color on the roots. Better a potato not to eat or at least to cut herbs in a thick layer.
Another sign that may indicate the bitterness of the potatoes are black spots. If after you cut the black spots, the potatoes ceased to taste bitter, is it not worth it.
But not always the bitter taste of the tubers will affect the appearance.
Reasons why potatoes can taste bitter
- If we are talking about a young potato, it is likely that it is not ripe. And the bitterness in these tubers do not get rid of, as it is not ready. This taste is felt from the fact that the potato, which belongs to the Solanaceae family, contains in its tubers alkaloids, as a rule, solanine. Alkaloids are not only unpleasant to the taste, but also harmful to the body. When the potatoes ripen, alkaloids disintegrate. So often the bitterness felt in unripe fruits.
- Another reason that causes the bitterness can be an overabundance of chemicals in potatoes. Sometimes, an unscrupulous farmer uses too much fertilizer to get more crops faster. Also with the help of chemical fertilizers is pest control. Beetle that eats potatoes are killed, but there is a bitter taste.
- Bitterness can be the result of improper storage. If the potatoes are long time spent in the light, you will be allocated alkaloids, which gives the potatoes a bitter taste and harmful to health. Potatoes should be stored in a cool, dark place but not in refrigerator.
- The alkaloids contained in potatoes in small quantities, and when the tubers begin to germinate, their number is greatly increased. So, if the potatoes you are going to cook, let the sprout, the chance to get bitter lunch increases.