How to Tell If Potatoes Are Bad
Bad potatoes are soft, wrinkled, slimy, or moldy, with a musty smell. Deep green skin or a bitter taste means toss them, because green areas contain solanine.
Signs Potatoes have gone bad
- Soft, mushy, or leaking spots. A good potato is hard. Squishy areas, dark wet patches, or liquid oozing out mean it’s rotting. Toss the whole potato.
- Strong green coloring. Green under the skin comes from light exposure and goes along with solanine, which can upset your stomach. Small green patches can be cut away deeply, but if much of the potato is green or it tastes bitter, throw it out.
- Mold or fuzzy growth. White, gray, or black fuzz on the skin or in cut-open spots means the potato is spoiled. Because potatoes are dense and moist, don’t just cut around it.
- Musty, sour, or rotten smell. Fresh potatoes smell earthy and neutral. A moldy or fishy odor, even without visible rot, means a rotten center.
- Black or brown rings or hollow center inside. Slice it open. A hollow with dark, wet edges or gray-black decay means it’s past use. A small brown spot you can trim; extensive discoloration means discard.
- Deeply wrinkled with long, thick sprouts. A shriveled potato with long sprouts has been stored too long and is losing quality. If it’s soft or very wrinkled, toss it.
Looks weird, but it's fine
- Small, short sprouts or eyes. Break off the sprouts and cut out the eye with a deep notch. If the potato is still firm and not green, it’s okay to cook.
- Light dirt or scabby patches. Surface scab or skin blemishes are cosmetic. Scrub or peel them off.
- Grayish-black color after cutting and a brief wait. Raw potatoes oxidize and darken quickly. Rinse and cook, or hold cut potatoes in cold water. It’s not spoilage if the flesh is otherwise firm and clean.
How long do Potatoes last?
| Where | How long | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Pantry (cool, dark) | 1–2 months | whole, uncooked |
| Fridge | 3–4 days | cooked leftovers |
| Freezer | 10–12 months | cooked or blanched; raw potatoes freeze poorly |
How to store them
- Store in a cool, dark, well-ventilated spot like a paper bag or basket. Light turns them green.
- Keep them out of the fridge when raw. Cold converts starches to sugar and gives a sweet taste and darker fries.
- Don’t wash potatoes before storing, and keep them away from onions, which speeds spoilage in both.
Use it up before it turns
Frequently asked questions
Can you eat potatoes that have sprouted?
If the potato is still firm, you can remove the sprouts and eyes with a deep cut and cook it. If it’s soft, wrinkled, or green, throw it out. Sprouts and green skin contain higher levels of solanine.
Are green potatoes safe to eat?
Not if they’re very green or bitter. A small green patch can be cut away generously, but when a lot of the potato is green, the safest move is to discard it. Cooking doesn’t remove solanine.
Can you cut mold off a potato?
No. Potatoes are dense and moist, so mold can reach deeper than you can see. Throw out a moldy potato rather than trimming it.
More food freshness guides
General guidance based on USDA FoodKeeper. Storage times are estimates and conditions vary. When in doubt, throw it out.