Are any food safety issues linked with potatoes?
Improperly stored baked potatoes and rehydrated potato flakes have been linked to foodborne illness cases; however, you can take simple steps to prevent food safety issues. Wash potatoes thoroughly before cooking, using a clean vegetable brush if necessary to scrub them. Don’t use soap on produce because it can leave residues. Most food safety issues linked with potatoes and other starchy foods (such as rice) result from improper cooling. These are steps to keep potatoes safe: • Keep “hot foods” hot during serving (at least 140 F). • Place leftover baked, boiled or mashed potatoes in shallow containers and refrigerate at 40 F promptly. Cooked potatoes and other perishable foods should spend no more than two hours at room temperature, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture recommendations. Unwrap leftover foil-wrapped baked potatoes before refrigeration and cut in half to speed cooling. • Use leftover potatoes within three days. Freezing leftover potatoes is safe, but it isn’t reco
