Is the green on potatoes really poison?

[amberj]

You know how sometimes potatoes go a bit green just under the skin, particularly noticeable when you peel them? I was always told that the green was actually poisonous and needed to be peeled off fully.

Is this true or a myth I somehow picked up?

[Phteven]

True
Greening of potatoes: CSIRO Food and Nutritional Sciences

[storm]

I have heard this aswell

[amberj]

Wow, thanks Brontide- just read the link....after having eaten (well peeled) green spuds for dinner!!

Must send this link to my DH- he always thinks I'm mad for being wary of green potatoes.

[amberj]

I *think* from what I've read it increases the levels of nasty stuff in the whole potato, but the greatest concentrations are in the green areas. I've looked at a couple of different websites now, and some say the whole spud is evil and must be thrown out, and others say peel it well and the levels of poison in the remaining potato would only be dangerous if you are several kilo's of them. Hard to tell, perhaps better to be on the safe side and avoid the green ones.

[Glamourcide]

FWIW I usually just peel the green bits off and cannot recall ever being ill afterwards... but then BIL usually uses about 6 taters a day making mash for himself (seeing as he never shows up around dinnertime and therefore doesn't get fed) so every remaining tater is precious in my house But horses for courses, if you feel safer chucking the whole thing out then go for it

[AnyDream]

Yes it really is poisonous. Got this on the CSIRO website:

Are green potatoes safe to eat?
Green potatoes may cause food poisoning and since some of the symptoms are similar to gastroenteritis it is possible that some undiagnosed cases of gastroenteritis have been caused by eating green potatoes.

Human and livestock deaths have been recorded as a result of the consumption of greened or damaged potatoes with very high glycoalkaloid levels. It should be noted that glycoalkaloids are not destroyed by cooking processes, even by frying in hot oil. Consequently potatoes with pronounced greening or with signs of damage should not be eaten.

It is advisable that green or damaged potatoes are avoided by pregnant women or women who are likely to become pregnant, as there is some evidence of possible foetal damage or loss of the foetus from glycoalkaloid poisoning in animals.

...
Conclusions
Not every potato with traces of greening will contain sufficient levels of glycoalkaloids to pose a threat to health. However because of the possibility that green potatoes may produce food poisoning, they should be discarded, as should physically damaged potatoes and those with any signs of rotting.

Consumers should avoid buying any potatoes that show signs of greening or damage and should carefully remove any sprouts before cooking. However it should be remembered that healthy potatoes do not pose any health risk at all and are an excellent source of nutrients.

It is helpful to realise that the poisonous compound tastes quite bitter, so if your potato has that real bitter flavour