When do sweet potatoes go bad

They are almost always on the Thanksgiving menu. Sweet potatoes are very versatile and often confused with yams. Sweet potatoes and yams are from two completely different flowering plants while white potatoes come from a root plant , but are often labeled as each other. The most common yam is slightly softer it contains more water and has an orange colored flesh while the sweet potato is a whiter or more yellowish color both inside and out.

Pictured are sweet potatoes. So, just how long are sweet potatoes good for - how long do sweet potatoes last? After purchase from the store and proper storage, the shelf life is approximately With oven-safe glass and water-tight lids, these food storage containers are ready for action!

Not a Prime Member? Try a day free trial today! Of course, all foods last for a shorter period of time if they are not stored properly. But remember that sweet potatoes, like a lot of other vegetables , may have a best by date or a better before date but not an expiration date.

Because of this distinction, you may safely use sweet potatoes to compliment your favorite meals even after a best before date has lapsed. Although not a perfect test, your senses are usually the most reliable instruments to tell if your sweet potatoes have gone bad. Some common traits of bad sweet potatoes are discoloration and growths through the skin. If any of these colors develop on the flesh, your sweet potatoes are no longer safe; yellow, purple, and orange.

You can confirm if it is spoiled by observing the skin if it has turned black, yellow, purple, brown, red, or white. If sweet potatoes develop any rotten odor, you should toss them off as that is a sign they are not safe. In normal circumstances, sweet potatoes will not have any strong characteristic smell. The presence of black and brown spots that you can easily poke through indicates that the sweet potato is rotten and should be discarded.

If you find an abnormal growth outside the sweet potato as you peel it, it is an indication that it is unsafe. Small molds on the sweet potato surface can be peeled off and the rest be cooked, but if they are big, throw away the whole product. Black rot caused by fungi found in the soil means that the sweet potato is spoiled as it makes it bitter and tasteless. Keep them in a dark, dry pantry to extend their shells life. Just make sure that the area does not receive too much heat.

It is best if you consume them within 24 hours as they develop an acidic taste with time. Sweet potatoes get spoiled easily due to their high water content and hence you should follow this guide to ensure that they remain fresh. Employ your senses well to establish if your sweet potatoes have spoiled by smelling, feeling the texture, and observing for signs of molds, growths, and black spots.

Uncooked sweet potatoes are likely to develop sprouts if they are kept in the pantry for a long time. As such, we recommend using up your supply as soon as possible. When it comes to checking if sweet potatoes have gone bad, always check for slight or significant discolorations. If the sweet potatoes start turning soft or mushy, they have gone bad. The same thing is true for sweet potatoes that turned a deep shade of brown to black.

Check for weird growths through the skin or the presence of mold. If the sweet potatoes have developed an off-odor, toss the tubers in the trash. For cooked or mashed sweet potatoes, check for the presence of mold. If the product took on an off-color or flavor, the sweet potatoes are no longer safe to eat. Uncooked and uncut sweet potatoes are best stored in the pantry. Place the product in a well-ventilated area.

Keep the sweet potatoes away from sources of heat and moisture. When kept in the pantry, uncooked sweet potatoes will stay fresh for 1 to 2 months, depending on the season. Unopened cans of sweet potatoes are also best stored in the pantry.