What Happens If You Refrigerate Raw Potatoes?
By LAUREN ROTHMAN
Food - Drink
When it comes to kitchen must-haves, potatoes are near the top of the list. Like other root vegetables, potatoes are long-lasting, staying fresh for up to three months when stored in dark, cool, and dry environments, but can refrigerating them extend that shelf-life even more?
While you might think storing potatoes in the fridge will make them last even longer, this isn’t actually the case. Potatoes last longer at around 50 degrees than they do at cooler temperatures, so if you don't have a pantry, a cupboard or drawer located in a cooler part of your kitchen works best.
In addition to shortening their shelf life, refrigerating potatoes may alter their chemical structure in an unpleasant way. When potatoes are stored at temperatures less than 50 degrees, the starches in the spuds start to convert to sugars, leading to discolorations and off-flavors.