The Potato » Preparing Potatoes Email Print

Preparing Potatoes

Here are our top tips for storing your potatoes:

 Tip 1: Just like us, potatoes can bruise, so be gentle when transporting and handling

Tip 2: Make sure your potatoes can breathe. When you get home from the shops, take them out of their packaging, give them a good rinse under the tap and then store them in a cool cupboard to make them last longer

Tip 3: Potatoes don't like the light. Keep them in a dark place or they might turn green. If you do find green areas just cut them out before cooking as they will taste bitter.

Tip 4: Don't store your potatoes in the fridge - it's too chilly!

Tip 5:  Try to store potatoes away from strong smelling foods - they have a habit of absorbing strong smells like onion or garlic

Basic Hygiene - Common Sense

We don't really need to tell you this but, as with all food, you can prevent the spread of harmful bacteria and viruses by maintaining a good level of personal hygiene, along with keeping all your work surfaces and utensils clean.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) says that a useful way of preventing food poisoning is to remember the four Cs:

1. Cleaning

2. Cooking

3. Chilling

4. Avoiding Cross-Contamination

 The Food Standards Agency (FSA) advice includes:

• Washing your hands frequently with soap and warm water, particularly after going to the loo, handling raw food, preparing food, touching bins or touching pets is essential to basic hygiene
• Never handle food when you are ill with stomach problems, such as diarrhoea or vomiting
• Make sure food is cooked thoroughly and is steaming hot in the middle, particularly poultry, pork, burgers, sausages and kebabs, as this will kill any harmful bacteria
• If food has to be reheated make sure it's steaming hot all the way through
• If food has to be refridgerated, set your fridge to between zero and 5°C (32 and 41°F)
• Keep raw and ready-to-eat foods separate
• Use a different chopping board for raw food and ready-to-eat food, or wash it thoroughly in between preparing different foods
• Clean knives and other utensils thoroughly after they have been used with raw food

For more guidance on food hygiene and avoiding cross contamination visit NHS Choices website