An important parameter, or what is the storage temperature for potatoes

The most difficult thing is to grow potatoes and achieve high yields. But it is also not easy to preserve already harvested potatoes during the winter.

If the storage conditions are violated, the tubers can deteriorate very quickly - they can begin to sprout, shrink, rot or freeze.

To prevent this from happening, you should be very responsible in choosing where to store supplies and maintaining the required temperature in it.

We will talk about the storage temperature of potatoes in the article.

The influence of temperature and humidity on the safety of potatoes

Potatoes are stored for storage after they have been collected and dried. Root crops are sorted and sorted by variety and condition . Tubers with damage are rejected and are put into processing in the near future.

According to GOST, the optimal temperature for keeping the potato harvest is from 3 to 6ºС. To prevent active biochemical and physiological processes from occurring in the tubers, this range should not expand.

A short-term slight increase or decrease in indicators does not pose a threat , but prolonged exposure to inappropriate temperatures can ruin the entire crop.

If the temperature rises, the potatoes begin to sprout. At the same time, the quality of the tubers is lost - the taste and consistency of the product deteriorates.

In addition to temperature indicators, when storing potatoes, important conditions in the vegetable storage room play an important role, such as:

1. Humidity level (should be around 85%).
2. Air exchange (this is due to the fact that potatoes emit carbon dioxide during storage).
3. Protection from light (both natural and artificial).

The storage temperature in the place where vegetables are kept is directly related to the level of humidity. Too dry air causes the tubers to dry out and lose moisture. As a result, they lose their elasticity, become flaccid and wrinkled. With high humidity, and even the accumulation of condensation, the potatoes begin to rot.

The humidity level can be determined with a special device - a hygrometer . But a significant excess of the indicators can be determined even by the potatoes themselves. The top layer begins to rot and become wet first.

When light hits the tubers, it triggers chemical processes in them that are externally manifested by greening of the fruit. Such potatoes become unsuitable for human consumption and must be disposed of. Violation of this rule can lead to serious poisoning.

If the humidity is lower than necessary, then containers with water can be installed in the storage . You can find out how long potatoes are stored and under what conditions here.

What to do when the temperature drops below zero

If potatoes are frozen in the underground, then you need to:

• do not panic;
• determine the magnitude of the temperature drop below zero;
• try to establish the duration of such a decrease;
• identify the cause of the temperature drop.

In other words, you need to analyze the situation and assess the scale of the disaster. The result of such an analysis should be a conclusion about whether the potatoes were frozen or only slightly damaged by negative temperatures.

In any case, a final assessment of the consequences can only be made by taking an inventory of stocks. If the potatoes are just frozen, then the tuber will be damaged in some part. However, this verdict is not so comforting: the damaged tuber will now begin to rot. Such potatoes cannot be stored; they urgently need to be disposed of.

If negative temperatures persist for a long time, this can only mean one thing - the potatoes are frozen. Of course, you can no longer use it as a product for sale, but it is quite suitable for food. We eat fresh frozen vegetables.

Frozen potatoes do not lose their nutritional value. It’s just that when exposed to negative temperatures, some of the substances turn into sugars, and the potatoes become sweetish. Some people find their charm in this. You can’t eat sprouted and rotting potatoes, but you can and even should eat frozen ones. Just cook it immediately in boiling water, without defrosting it first.

Minimum and maximum values

A minimum temperature of 0ºС is critical for storage .

When it is reached, and even more so when it decreases further, sugars are formed from starch, which harms root crops.

The temperature indicators recommended by the state standard for potatoes are 6ºC. But for most varieties of vegetables, the priority is to maintain the temperature around 3-4ºС.

High rates lead to germination . If other conditions in the storage are also violated, then the crop can very quickly become unusable.

Tuber response to temperature

Having collected the harvest from their six acres, many summer residents who do not have cellars and basements take it to their apartments. It's good if there is a balcony. You can insulate it and try to fight the frost. It’s worse when it’s not there and it’s supposed to be stored in a warm room. At high temperatures, potatoes actively “breathe” . Starch is converted into sugar. The sweet substance is then oxidized, producing carbon dioxide and water, which quickly evaporates. The tubers dry out and become like large raisins.

If a vegetable regularly encounters negative temperatures, it is important to know how many degrees of frost it can withstand. Potatoes already at 0 °C begin to actively process starch into sugar; in this case, there is no evaporation process.

As a result, the vegetable becomes sweetish in taste. After direct exposure of the tubers to a more severe subzero temperature, the product completely loses its nutritional and taste properties. He simply rots. When determining the optimal conditions for long-term storage of potatoes, two factors play a role:

• positive temperature with a value of 2−3°C;
• relative air humidity from 80 to 95%.

If the average room temperature reaches +4°C, sprouts begin to appear on the tubers. It is advisable to remove them quickly, otherwise the harmful substance solanine will accumulate in the potatoes.

Ways and methods of maintaining ideal conditions

Maintaining the optimal temperature for potatoes may require additional insulation of the vegetable storage in winter.

How should it be carried out in a vegetable store?

A vegetable storage facility for storing potatoes must meet basic requirements. This option is suitable for potato producers who harvest a large crop that requires high-quality storage.

For industrial volumes, it is advisable to build a vegetable storage facility as a separate building. In this case, it is possible to lay down, even at the design stage, the possibility of:

• good ventilation,
• waterproofing,
• maintaining optimal temperature, etc.

In industrial vegetable storage facilities, indicators, including temperature, are monitored by sensors.

How should it be kept in the cellar?

In the cellar, depending on the number of potatoes and the volume of the allocated space, various approaches to storage can be implemented, including:

• storage in bags,
• contents in bulk,
• in boxes, etc.

Potatoes stored in large volumes should not be covered in a layer of more than 200 cm. The filling process itself must be carried out as carefully as possible so as not to injure the tubers.

Bulk storage does not require investment in containers . One of the disadvantages is the difficulty of identifying spoiled tubers during storage, since it is almost impossible to sort through the entire heap.

Temperature control is carried out using a thermometer. To prevent vegetables from freezing from the ground, it is advisable to pour them not on the floor, but on a platform, for example, made of wood.

An alternative option is to store supplies in boxes. They can be placed on top of each other, but in such a way that the tubers are not pressed down. This is a more compact storage option that allows you to rearrange and transport the boxes. The downside is that if there is a significant amount of potatoes, you will also need a lot of boxes.

In severe frost, an insufficiently equipped cellar may freeze , so you must try to insulate it before storing the crop.

If nothing can be changed, then to protect the crop, additional tarpaulins, rags, straw and other available materials are used.

In addition, it is possible to organize a building above the cellar that prevents direct contact of the entrance to the storage with the environment. This will also prevent snow accumulation and freezing.

When spring comes and the air temperature begins to rise, potatoes can begin to germinate due to the launch of biochemical processes in the tubers. To prevent this, it is necessary to lower the temperature, but this is even more difficult than raising it.

Alternatively, you can use plastic bottles with frozen water . If they are placed near reserves, the temperature will drop slightly.

With a significant depth of the cellar, you can arrange two hatches so that an air cushion remains between them. The rules for storing potatoes in the cellar are discussed in this article.

What is the best way to store crops in an apartment in winter?

Potatoes cannot be stored for long at room temperature.

For current use, to keep the required minimum of product on hand, you can use:

• unheated cool storage rooms;
• fridge;
• cabinet under the sink;
• vestibule.

In such places, conditions do not always meet the necessary conditions. In addition, space is very limited. And even if the air temperature corresponds to the norm, other indicators are often violated - ventilation, humidity, lighting. This publication will tell you whether it is possible to store potatoes in the refrigerator.

How should it be kept on the balcony?

For storing potatoes at home, a glazed balcony can be a good help. Thermal cabinets (made independently or purchased ready-made), as well as insulating boxes and boxes, for example, with polystyrene foam, can solve the problem of maintaining temperature.

If the weather is frosty, the boxes can be additionally insulated:

• old blankets
• tarpaulin,
• burlap.

An open balcony cannot serve as a full-fledged storage of vegetables, since it is impossible to create suitable conditions on it in winter.

This article will tell you at what temperature to store potatoes on the balcony, and in which boxes this article will tell you.

How to tell if potatoes are frozen

The first sign indicating that the potatoes have begun to freeze during storage is a change in the sound of the tubers touching. When pouring, they knock against each other loudly, and not dully.

It is quite obvious that potatoes become frozen if you bring them into a warm place. After just 1-2 hours at room temperature:

• the peel wrinkles, darkens, becomes flabby, and breaks easily when pressed;
• tubers actively secrete watery juice both in their entirety and when peeling and cutting;
• The pulp turns brown or black when cut.

Essentially, when frozen, the pulp decomposes due to rot developing

Temperature violation

A violation, especially significant and prolonged, of the temperature regime can lead to damage to the entire crop . Potatoes are very picky about their conditions.

Errors

The following most common errors can lead
to temperature violations

1. Storage insulation not removed in a timely manner when the outside air temperature rises.
2. Insufficient insulation in winter.
3. Improperly organized ventilation.
4. Using cellophane to line storage areas.
5. Opening the storage area too often.

If the lighting in the storage is not turned off, it can not only increase the temperature, but also lead to greening of vegetables and, as a result, to their spoilage. Why potatoes turn green during storage can be found here.