Do you also love adding sweet potatoes to your diet?
If yes then you might buy them in bulk to make them affordable.
But after some time, the meals are not offered the flavor that they used to before.
Then you check on the package but the best-before date has not lapsed.
Then you think that do sweet potatoes go bad even before that date? Yes, sweet potatoes lose their taste over time irrespective of their bets before the date because of poor storage conditions.
Therefore it is essential that you provide them with good storage and protection.
How Long Do Sweet Potatoes Last? Do Sweet Potatoes Go Bad?
It is a rooted crop that has a creamy texture.
But when it comes to its shelf life then it is not that long.
They contain a high amount of water in them which is the main reason for their smaller shelf life.
Thus to offer them a longer shelf life one needs to store them in good condition.
The tubers present on the potatoes easily develop sprouts on them.
However, by providing a lower temperature to the raw tubes you can keep them healthy for a longer time.
When they are fresh then you can expect them to last for 1 month in the pantry.
In addition, you can put them in the fridge and extend their life to 2- 3 months.
In the case of cooked sweet potatoes storage in the pantry is not advisable thus try to put them in the fridge to keep them good for a week.
For more shelf life you can also try a freezer for cooked meals as they can keep them edible for up to 6 months.
Shelf lives of some different kinds of sweet potatoes:
- Unopened canned: 1 year in pantry and avoid storage in fridge and freezer.
- Unopened frozen: in the fridge for up to 1 week and in the freezer for 6 to 8 months. .
- Unopened instant (dry): they get bad within 1 year. .
How to Tell if Sweet Potatoes Have Gone Bad?
- Aroma .
The correct sign that they are gone bad is their aroma because the aroma will change into a foul smell that you can notice quickly.
- Color.
If you can examine them closely then you will see discoloration in the tubers and they will become inedible.
The color of the skin gets red, black, and brown purple while the flesh will turn white, orange, and yellowish in color.
- Holes .
If you have found holes in a potato in its outer skin or after cutting it then maybe they have gone bad.
This can be because of different climate or temperature conditions.
As moisture enters them and causes these holes.
Pests or bugs can also be a reason that can cause holes so you are advised to avoid eating them if holes are there.
- Texture .
When you are having sweet potatoes and they feel mushy then for sure they have gone bad.
The ends become softer than before and you can notice some changes like the brown tubers will turn black.
Because of this, their texture loses all its flavor.
The skin will also develop wrinkles on it before getting bad.
- Sprouting .
The peel or skin of a sweet potato can tell you a lot.
Suppose they are affected by any factor then little sprouts will grow on the skin of potatoes.
These sprouts will absorb all the nutrients and make the potato go bad.
How to Store Sweet Potatoes?
Store Them in the Cellar
One needs to keep the sweet potatoes in the basement if they have one.
This will provide them with a cool and dry place that is perfect to protect against moisture also the basket you are going to use must be breathable to offer enough air for ventilation.
Storage in pantry
- Fresh .
When they are fresh they can be stored in the pantry without any problem.
The constant temperature of potatoes should range from 45 to 55 F.
do not store them close to things that have a strong smell such as onions.
- Canned.
Canned potatoes can be easily kept in the pantry without following a certain temperature or condition for 1 year.
Avoid Storage in the Freezer
One has to avoid storage in the freezer as they are not good for fresh potatoes.
However, for cooked meals, you can use an airtight container and protect them from moisture.
