How can old potatoes kill you?

If you leave potatoes sitting in in your cupboard for too long, they might sprout or turn green, but it’s not like eating old vegetables is going to kill you or anything. After sitting around for a while and perhaps rotting, potatoes contain a potent toxin called solanine.Click to see full answer. Simply so, are rotten potatoes dangerous?Not to worry though, fatal cases of solanine poisoning are very rare these days. Most commercial varieties of potatoes are screened for solanine, but any potato will build up the toxin to dangerous levels if exposed to light or stored improperly.One may also ask, how many potatoes can kill you? As members of the nightshade family, they potatoes produce solanine and chaconine, alkaloids that can be harmful to humans. Green potatoes produce even more solanine, and it doesn’t take that many to cause death. Around 25 would be enough, so stay away from green potatoes, even if cooked. One may also ask, is it OK to eat old potatoes? Potatoes are safe to eat, even after they’ve sprouted, so long as they are still firm to the touch and they don’t look too wrinkly and shriveled. Most of the nutrients are still intact in a firm, sprouted potato.Will raw potatoes kill you?That’s because raw potatoes contain a toxic compound called solanine, which could make you very sick. Most potatoes don’t have enough solanine to kill a human, but green potatoes or any that are starting to sprout have high solanine content, which can cause symptoms including stomach pain, headache, and paralysis.