'Green' potato has toxin, can be cut out

NEW DELHI, July 28 (UPI) -- Potatoes that are "green" can potentially contain a naturally occurring toxin, but cutting away the green parts reduces the risk, researchers in India said.

The toxin, Glycoalkaloids, can pose a risk to public health, said a review paper published in the latest online issue of Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture.

The review -- by Prabhat K. Nema of the College of Horticulture, Jawaharlal Nehru Agricultural University, in India -- suggests the levels of Glycoalkaloids in potatoes can be controlled effectively by adopting appropriate pre-harvest and post-harvest practices, and that farmers and producers can do much to reduce the public risks of Glycoalkaloids.

Some measures include keeping tubers well covered with soil during growth, allowing them to mature before harvesting, avoiding harvest at very high temperatures and minimizing exposure to light, Nema said.

Glycoalkaloids are a naturally occurring toxic substance in potatoes that have anti-microbial, insecticidal and fungicidal properties which probably evolved as a protective mechanism against invasion by foreign bodies to protect the plant against pests and disease. However, they can be toxic to humans and can cause serious illness at higher concentrations, Nema said.