Never Buy Sweet Potatoes If You See This

Reviewed by Dietitian Jane Leverich, M.S., RDN

Key Points

• Avoid sweet potatoes with soft spots, visible mold or significant signs of decay.

• Small sprouts and minor blemishes don’t necessarily mean a sweet potato is unsafe.

• Store sweet potatoes in a cool, dark, well-ventilated place to help maintain quality.

Sweet potatoes are a nutritious staple to keep in your kitchen. They’re packed with fiber, complex carbohydrates and beta-carotene, which your body converts into vitamin A. But like any fresh produce, sweet potatoes can vary in quality, and picking one that’s past its prime could leave you with a disappointing meal or potentially consuming contaminated food.

The good news is that spotting a sweet potato that’s starting to spoil is relatively straightforward once you know what to look for. We spoke with a registered dietitian and a food-safety expert to learn which warning signs to watch for when shopping for sweet potatoes—and which imperfections aren’t necessarily cause for concern. Here’s what you need to know.

Sweet Potato Red Flags to Watch Out For

Soft Spots or Mushy Areas

“When buying sweet potatoes, it’s important to make sure there are no soft spots,” says Alyssa Smolen, M.S., RDN, CDN. “A soft potato indicates that it is past peak freshness.” Even a small soft patch could indicate that spoilage has already begun beneath the sweet potato’s skin, so never buy a sweet potato if you spot this.

Soft or mushy areas can indicate that a sweet potato is deteriorating, especially if the affected area is wet, discolored or accompanied by an unpleasant odor. “Softness or areas of decay can indicate deterioration,” explains food-safety expert Allyza Joyce Mercado.

Visible Mold or Signs of Decay

If you see mold on a sweet potato, leave it at the store. “Visible mold and visible decay are the main concerns shoppers should watch for,” says Mercado. “If a sweet potato has visible mold or significant decay, it is best to discard it.”

Shriveling or Wrinkling

A fresh sweet potato generally has smooth, taut skin. While minor surface imperfections or irregular shapes aren’t necessarily a concern, pronounced shriveling and wrinkling are signs the sweet potato has lost significant moisture and is past its prime. Mercado says that shriveling, especially when combined with soft spots or mold, is a strong indicator the sweet potato should be discarded.

Deep Cuts or Significant Bruising

Some surface blemishes are cosmetic and don’t necessarily affect a sweet potato’s quality or safety. Deep cuts, significant bruising and damaged areas, however, can make produce more vulnerable to deterioration.

“When shopping for sweet potatoes, look for ones that are free from significant bruising, deep cuts or signs of decay,” says Mercado. Deep cuts can allow bacteria and mold to enter the flesh, causing it to spoil faster and creating a potential food-safety concern.

Sprouting Combined with Other Signs of Deterioration

Sprouts can develop when sweet potatoes begin growing new shoots during storage. A small sprout on an otherwise firm, intact sweet potato doesn’t automatically mean it’s unsafe to eat. Sprouting on its own doesn’t make a sweet potato unsafe.

“Sprouting is generally more of a quality concern,” explains Mercado. “If a sweet potato is also soft, shriveled, moldy or showing signs of decay, it should be discarded.”

What Great Sweet Potatoes Should Look Like

“A sweet potato at peak freshness should be firm and smooth,” says Smolen. “A fresh, high-quality sweet potato should feel firm, with relatively intact skin and no soft spots or signs of decay,” adds Mercado.

Here’s what to look for:

• Firm flesh throughout. Give the sweet potato a gentle squeeze. It should feel firm rather than soft or mushy.

• Relatively smooth, intact skin. Minor imperfections are fine, but avoid sweet potatoes with deep cuts, significant bruising, mold or extensive damage.

• No strong or unpleasant odor. Fresh sweet potatoes have a very mild, neutral scent. A sour or otherwise unpleasant odor can indicate spoilage.

• Color typical of the variety. Sweet potatoes come in different skin and flesh colors, including orange, purple and tan. Look for a consistent appearance for the variety, without unusual discoloration associated with decay.

Shopping & Storage Tips

Follow these expert-recommended tips to choose sweet potatoes and help them stay fresh after you bring them home.

• Focus on condition, not appearance. “Choose sweet potatoes that are firm, with relatively intact skin and no significant bruising, cuts, soft spots, mold or decay,” says Mercado.

• Consider size for flavor. “Smaller size generally means a sweeter taste,” says Smolen. Larger sweet potatoes tend to have a starchier, milder flavor. Either option can work, depending on what you’re making.

• Shop local when possible. “Buying sweet potatoes from a local farmers’ market can ensure a fresher product, since it has not been sitting at a grocery store,” says Smolen.

• Store in a cool, dark, ventilated spot. “Sweet potatoes should be stored in a cool, dark place, like a cabinet,” says Smolen. Mercado adds that they should be kept in a dry, well-ventilated place away from excess moisture. Avoid storing whole, uncut sweet potatoes in the refrigerator.

• Refrigerate once cut or cooked. “Once sweet potatoes have been cut or cooked, they should be treated as perishable food and refrigerated promptly,” says Mercado.

Our Expert Take

Sweet potatoes provide fiber and beta-carotene, which your body converts into vitamin A, making them a nutritious addition to meals. To choose a good sweet potato, look for firmness, intact skin and no visible mold, soft spots or shriveling. A small surface blemish is fine, but anything soft, moldy or significantly bruised should be left at the grocery store. Store whole sweet potatoes in a cool, dark, well-ventilated place to help preserve their quality.

Read the original article on EatingWell