Solanine is a glycoalkaloid poison found in species of the nightshade family within the genus Solanum, such as the potato (Solanum tuberosum), the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), and the eggplant (Solanum melongena).
Solanine.
| Names | |
|---|---|
| 3D model (JSmol) | Interactive image |
| ChEBI | CHEBI:9188 |
| ChemSpider | 28033 |
| ECHA InfoCard | 100.039.875 |
When were potatoes considered poisonous?
The poisonous potato myth runs along the same lines as the poisonous tomato myth—somewhat true in the 1500s, but by the time the English were colonizing the North American coast, the fear had gone.
What was potatoes cause of death?
Scientists have long known that it was a strain of Phytophthora infestans (or P. infestans) that caused the widespread devastation of potato crops in Ireland and northern Europe beginning in 1845, leading to the Irish Potato Famine.
What is the poisonous part of a potato?
Specifically, the color green. The presence of chlorophyll in a potato means that a glycoalkaloid poison named solanine is also present. A defense against insects, this nerve toxin (which is in the nightshade family) can result in headaches, vomiting, diarrhea, and even paralysis if ingested in very high amounts.
Why did people not eat potatoes?
Since potatoes grew underground, many Russians believed them to be “the devil’s apples.” Nobody wanted to deal with the devil. After all, the potatoes don’t appear in the Bible. In France, between 1748 and 1772, the potato was illegal since the French believed potatoes spread disease, especially leprosy.
Did people think tomatoes were poisonous?
A member of the deadly nightshade family, tomatoes were erroneously thought to be poisonous (although the leaves are poisonous) by Europeans who were suspicious of their bright, shiny fruit. Native versions were small, like cherry tomatoes, and most likely yellow rather than red.
Can you still eat a potato that has sprouted?
The short answer is yes. Potatoes that have sprouted are still OK to eat, but only once you’ve removed the sprouts. Here’s a guide on how to remove them, how to properly store potatoes and when it’s not alright to eat them.
How much raw potato is poisonous?
The normal amount of solanine in a potato’s peel means a 200-pound person would have to eat 20 pounds of potatoes to experience a toxic level, according to the University of Nebraska. However, exposure to light can increase solanine levels up to 10 times.
Why are green potatoes toxic?
The reality is that green potatoes contain high levels of a toxin, solanine, which can cause nausea, headaches and neurological problems. Potatoes naturally produce small amounts of solanine as a defense against insects, but the levels increase with prolonged exposure to light and warm temperatures.
Are raw potatoes poisonous?
You can eat raw potato, but you might not want to. Raw potatoes contain solanine and lectins, two compounds that can cause gastric distress and potentially make you sick.
Are potato eyes safe to eat?
In short, yes, as long as you cut the sprouts away. Use a paring knife to remove the entire sprout and the small part of the potato from which it grows. And no, it’s not enough to just remove the eyes with a vegetable peeler as I have done time and time again.
What does a poisonous potato look like?
No shade to the color green, but no potato that’s green should be considered edible. At the very least, if parts of the potato look salvageable, cut the green parts out yourself using a knife. When a potato has green patches, that means it’s been infected with a poisonous compound called solanine.
Did the French think potatoes were poisonous?
While the potato was becoming a part of European cooking ever since the Spaniards brought them to the continent in the mid-1500s, the French were not so hot on the potato. They refused to accept the vegetable, referring to it as “hog feed” and believing that these tubers caused leprosy.
Who first ate the potato?
The potato was the first domesticated vegetable in the region of modern-day southern Peru and extreme northwestern Bolivia between 8000 and 5000 BCE.
Why were potatoes illegal in France?
In 1748 France had actually forbidden the cultivation of the potato (on the grounds that it was thought to cause leprosy among other things), and this law remained on the books in Parmentier’s time, until 1772.
Who is the first person to eat a tomato?
The tomato was eaten by the Aztecs as early as 700 AD and called the “tomatl,” (its name in Nahuatl), and wasn’t grown in Britain until the 1590s.
Was considered poisonous for nearly 200 years?
The tomato was feared for 200 YEARS by Europeans who called it ‘poison apple’ and thought it to be sinful and seductive.
Why the tomato was feared in Europe for more than 200 years?
Another reason why tomatoes are feared in Europe is that it was classified as deadly nightshade, a poisonous family of Solanaceae plants that contain toxins called tropane alkaloids. So until the late 1800s, tomatoes were solely grown for ornamental purposes in gardens rather than for eating.
Is solanine destroyed by cooking?
Control. Solanine is not removed by boiling, but it can be destroyed by frying. Solanine poisoning is uncommon as cooks and the public are aware of the problem and tend to avoid green potatoes, in any case, consumption of up to 5 g of green potato per kg body weight per day does not appear to cause acute illness.
How do you know if a potato is bad?
Whole fresh potatoes
Raw potatoes should be firm to the touch with tight skin that’s free of large bruises, black spots, or other blemishes. If a potato has become soft or mushy, you should throw it out. Though it’s normal for potatoes to smell earthy or nutty, a musty or moldy odor is a hallmark of spoilage.
Why do potatoes sprout in the dark?
Why do potatoes sprout? Fun fact: Potatoes don’t actually need soil to sprout—they just need favourable environmental conditions. So, if you keep your potatoes somewhere that it’s cool, dark, and they have access to moisture, they will joyously begin to spread their sprouts and grow in the shadows.