Tokyo Food Safety Information Center » Good things to know »  Poisonous plants easily mistaken for harmless ones » Potato (Solanaceae)

Potato (Solanaceae)

The tuber of potato is edible, but the sprouting part and the green parts contain a lot of poisonous substance called solanine. If parts that contain a lot of solanine are not thoroughly removed, they cause poisoning. When cooking, sufficient attention is required to peel off the skin well and to make sure that sprouts are completely removed.


Characteristics

Parts of the plant that may be ingested accidentally. Sprouting and green epidermal portions of potato.
Symptoms Vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, feeling of weakness, dizziness, breathing difficulties, etc.
Venomous constituents Alkaloid called solanine. Solanine does almost not decompose when cooking, baking or using other methods of heating.

Sprouting potato
Sprouting potato
Potato with epidermal part turning green
Potato with epidermal part turning green

 

Bureau of Public Health, Tokyo Metropolitan Government
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