I have seen on previous posts how other members are still using their potatoes grown from last year. So my question is why do the potatoes sold in the supermarkets have such short Use by Dates. ( usually no more then a week after purchase !) What am I missing?
why do the potatoes sold in the supermarkets have such short Use by Dates.
Because they are bonkers.. ::)
I don't think you are missing anything - its just a way of 'stock control'; the same applies to other vegetables like carrots and to fruit such as apples.
Also because they wrap them in plastic... and potatoes "sweat" you get rots developing very quickly... :-X
And after a few days on the shelves they turn green, so better not keep them too long in the shop.
They need to be kept in a cool (not cold) dark place to store them long term.
;).......yea,........i still have about half a potatoe sack full,....of spuds,....grown on my allotment,...from last september,.....& they're still as firm & good,...as the day i lifted them 8).....& have just set my spuds....out to chit,...around home,...in chitting trays.....to grow this year,.... :)
Potatoes and lots of other fruit and veg are kept in cold storage. Its keeps them "fresh" until they are sent to the shops. When they come out though its like turning a switch and they immediately start to age rapidly once they get warm. My potatoes live in the coal shed now that there is no coal needed. I only take them out when I want to use them, but if I moved them to the kitchen they would age like the shop bought ones.
I'm still using mine from last year, kept in a sack in the cold Summerhouse, then bring some in under the stairs, then the kitchen a few at a time, as Winecap says its down to the shop storage. :D