How to Tell if a Sweet Potato is Bad? Is it safe to eat if it’s been sitting on your counter for a while and is starting to wrinkle or sprout? Perhaps you discovered a sweet potato in your pantry and wondered if it was still edible. Maybe it’s still firm and looks fine, but how do you know?
How to Tell if a Sweet Potato is Bad?
Toss if your sweet potato is oozing, soft and squishy, discoloured, smelly, or has a lot of sprouts. If there are only a few sprouts and the sweet potato is still firm, you can cut the sprouted portion off and cook or plant it right away.
Even if the majority of the potato is firm, store-bought sweet potatoes may have small bits of mould on them, as shown below. Before cooking, make sure to thoroughly wash them and remove any shrivelled parts!
How to Tell if Sweet Potato is Bad Inside?
A sweet potato that is bad on the inside will usually show some signs on the outside first. As if you were wrinkled and soft. A bad sweet potato, on the other hand, will appear drier than a good one and will become oxidised and discoloured much faster than a good sweet potato. The dark spots near the centre and rim indicate that this sweet potato has passed its prime.
What About Dark Spots On Sweet Potatoes?
The sweet potato will occasionally have a blemish. This is usually dark on the outside of the sweet potato and a dark spot inside the sweet potato when cut into. If the bad spot is small and the rest of the sweet potato is firm and healthy, simply cut the dark spot out and cook as usual.
What is The White Stuff When You Cut Into a Sweet Potato?
When you cut into a sweet potato, some milky white liquid will start to come out. This is normal and safe to consume. The liquid is made up of starch and sugar and is perfectly normal in sweet potatoes! I’ve discovered that fresh sweet potatoes contain more of this milky starch than older ones. The older cut sweet potato (on top) in the picture below has very little of the milky white starch substance. The fresher sweet potato on the bottom also contains a lot more water!
How Long Do Sweet Potatoes Last?
Sweet potatoes can be stored in a cool, dark place for up to six months. If the sweet potato is left on the counter, it should be used within 3 weeks.
How to Tell If Purple Sweet Potato Is Bad?
Purple sweet potatoes should be avoided if they are mushy, mouldy, or wrinkled. Although the darker colour can make some of these signs more difficult to see, you can usually tell if it’s softer or wrinkled. This sweet potato has a bad ending.
How Long Do Sweet Potatoes Last in the Fridge?
Refrigerating whole raw sweet potatoes can cause them to taste strange and have a hard centre. Raw, cut sweet potatoes should be refrigerated and submerged in water for about a day.
How Long Do Cooked Sweet Potatoes Last?
Cooked sweet potatoes will keep in the refrigerator for 3-5 days if stored in an airtight container. Cooked potatoes will spoil in a few hours if left out at room temperature.
How Long Do Sweet Potatoes Last in the Pantry?
Sweet potatoes can be stored for up to 6 months if your pantry is kept cool and dark. I recommend checking on your sweet potatoes every month or so to remove any that go bad, usually due to a previous bad spot before they were stored.
How to Store Sweet Potatoes?
Store raw, uncooked sweet potatoes in a cool, dark, and dry place. Wash your potatoes only when you’re ready to eat them. This will enable them to last longer. Sweet potatoes should be stored separately from other fruits and vegetables because they can cause other foods to ripen faster.
What to Do With Sprouted Sweet Potatoes?
Sprouted potatoes are attempting to form new plants. This means they are directing their energy and nutrients toward the formation of new sprouts (also known as eyes) and roots. If the sprouts are small and there are only a few of them, remove them and cook the sweet potato right away. At the store, you might even find them with tiny sprouts on them. If the sprouts are large, you can either throw them away, compost them, or plant them! See my instructions for sprouting and growing your own sweet potato plant below!
Can You Freeze Sweet Potatoes?
Cook the sweet potato, then slice or mash it and store in an airtight freezer-safe container. These should last for at least six months! Raw sweet potatoes will have a shorter shelf life if they are frozen. So make them and then freeze them!
How to Use Up Sweet Potatoes?
Sweet potatoes are fantastic in biscuits, rolls, pies, cupcakes, and fries! Check out my other articles, such as how to cut parsley, cantaloupe, and cilantro, how to toast bread in the oven, and how to tell if buttermilk or broccoli is bad!
Also Read: How to Start a Poultry Farm in Nigeria?
