Potatoes - a beloved in almost every British kitchen - are known for their versatility. However, these earthy tubers can quickly become inedible if left too long, often sprouting, wrinkling, or developing an unpleasant green hue just when you're about to start cooking. That's why it's crucial to store them correctly to extend their freshness - ideally for weeks rather than days. A 2016 study revealed a surprising trick to inhibit potato sprouting - apples.
An expert from the Tasting Table shared that storing potatoes near apples can slow down their ripening process. "As it turns out, keeping them close to apples by storing them in the same bowl or fruit basket can slow down the rate at which both ripen." While there may not be many recipes combining potatoes and apples, they're a perfect pair for keeping each other fresh.
This is due to apples producing ethylene, a natural gas also found in bananas, melons, pears and peaches. The 2016 study, published in the Journal of Food Science and Technology, found that exposure to ethylene can slow or stop potato sprouting, reports the Express.
Potatoes are among the few foods that aren't negatively impacted by ethylene, making it easy to prevent toxic sprouts by storing them near apples. As a general guideline, potatoes should be kept in a cool, dark place, so avoid placing them in a fruit bowl near a sunny window.
