Potatoes stay fresh longer without sprouting when kept in one place many avoid

Food storage tips are a godsend, especially for fresh veggies like potatoes , or you'll find them sprouting, wrinkling, softening, or even turning a strange green colour much quicker.

These beloved spuds are often picked up from the non-chilled aisles of supermarkets, and many people tend to stash them in cupboards or other cool, dark spots after bringing them home.

However, bucking conventional wisdom, new studies indicate that it's actually safe to chuck your potatoes in the fridge , which can keep them good for an additional six months.

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Love Food Hate Waste boffins point out that UK households bin nearly half a million tonnes of fresh vegetables and salads, plus around a quarter of a million tonnes of fresh fruit annually. That's a whopping £2.1 billion worth of food thrown away simply because it wasn't eaten on time.

Potatoes have traditionally been kept out of the fridge due to fears about increased levels of acrylamide, a chemical known to form in starchy foods and potentially raise cancer risks.

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Yet, recent thorough scientific research has revealed that storing tatties in the fridge "doesn't actually increase acrylamide potential" compared to the old store-in-a-cupboard method.

This pivotal potato-storing study was meticulously monitored by the Committee on the Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products, and the Environment (COT) and scrutinised by the FSA, ensuring the results are trustworthy.

In addition to this chilly advice, shoppers are also being advised to pay careful attention to the Best Before dates on their potato products.

The charity WRAP, which runs the Love Food Hate Waste campaign, has disclosed surprising results from a trial questioning the accuracy of best-before dates and their involvement in unnecessary food waste.

Research from WRAP suggests that best-before dates may not be a trustworthy indicator of when food is safe to eat, especially when goods are stored correctly "when they last much longer".

Take potatoes as an example. They're supposedly at their peak for 10 days if left in a kitchen cupboard according to the packet.

However, spoilage only became apparent four days after this date.

What's more interesting, when potatoes were chilled at four degrees, dismissing the packaging claim of a 10-day shelf life, they remained fresh for an outstanding 20 days past the best-before date.

By ignoring best-before dates altogether during the experiment, it was found that potatoes could last even longer, both at room temperature or when refrigerated.

The experts recommend storing spuds in the fridge to ensure "they'll last the longest".

Potatoes can remain edible for several months in the correct conditions, like a cool, dark place. But when kept in the fridge, their lifespan can triple, potentially extending over six months.

If you're aiming to extend the life of your potatoes, it's recommended to take them out of any plastic packaging and move them into a fabric bag. This method blocks light and lets the tubers breathe.