You may have noticed white slime on the surface of sweet potatoes more than once. In the article you will find out if this is normal and whether such a vegetable can be used for cooking.
Causes of White Mucus on Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potato is a popular vegetable that can be used not only as a side dish, but also as an independent dish. The root crop has a sweet taste, interesting structure and nutritional value.
If, when you cut a sweet potato, you see milky white mucus, this does not mean at all that the vegetable has deteriorated or rotted.
The white substance is sweet potato juice, which is composed of starch, moisture, and sugars.
This means that the sweet potato is the sweetest and most ripe. In addition, it is a sign of the freshness of the product.
How to understand that the sweet potato has gone bad
Old sweet potatoes are dry, don't release juice, and don't taste as sweet.
The sweet potato is spoiled if:
- putrefactive spots, black patches appeared on the tubers;
- the vegetable has become very soft and moisture is being released from it;
- there is an unpleasant smell.
Depending on the variety, cured tubers can be stored from 5 months to 2 years. To be or not to be washed or not to wash sweet potatoes before and after treatment is up to you.
If you wash, then only with warm water, cold water, especially before treatment, can have a detrimental effect on the keeping quality of tubers.
Sometimes the white juice causes skin irritation. Such a reaction may indicate an allergy to sweet potato.
