If you didn’t already know, potatoes can be bruised just like any other softer produce. Bruises on potatoes are not always\u00a0immediately visible, as they can be under the skin, but when you’re peeling or chopping a potato, you may see an unsightly spot that’s typically somewhere between light gray and black. If you drop or damage a potato yourself, be aware that bruises may also take a couple of days to show up. There are also skin-level bruises (called “shatter” bruises, in industry terminology) where the skin has been blemished or damaged, and a tough, scar-like surface will appear to “heal” the break.<\/p>\n
The good news is that you generally won’t need to throw that spud away.\u00a0Bruised potatoes are generally safe to eat, but you should\u00a0cut away any discolored areas to be safe, since bruises can look similar to other issues.\u00a0In the case of a shatter bruise, you may want to be a little more attentive. If the lesion has healed over,\u00a0the potato is probably safe to eat\u00a0(as long as the interior appears normal, aside from any minor damage around the original bruise). However, an unhealed\u00a0bruise,\u00a0where the skin is still broken or soft,\u00a0may let microbes in and could be worth throwing away, especially if it’s a big bruise.<\/p>\n
Read more: 10 Cooking Myths It’s Time To Stop Believing Once And For All<\/p>\n