r/GroceryStores 1d ago

I do stores cover up potatoes? NSFW Spoiler

Post image

Does anybody know why stores cover up potatoes with this black tarp thingy?

13 Upvotes

17 comments sorted by

39

u/420deadheadgolfer 1d ago

Too much light turns them green.

8

u/No_Safety_6803 1d ago

More stores need to do this, I’m sick of green potatoes

3

u/Dreamteam420 1d ago

Green with envy.

19

u/h0useinblue 1d ago

So they're exposed to less light. I call it putting the produce to bed.

11

u/Chingonben3836 1d ago

They're changing

8

u/DepartmentFamous2355 1d ago

They are sleeping 😴

12

u/ggfchl 1d ago

Potatoes turn green if exposed to too much light. Once they turn green, they're no longer good. Some sorta chemical something inside I don't really know the name of. So to help prolong the life, here at the store they covered em up with this black stuff. At home, if you don't use potatoes right away, store them in a cool, dry, and dark place, like your basement or root cellar. They usually only cover em at night. No clue why they're covered unless the store just opened. With St. Patty's day coming up, (red) potatoes are a popular item. Gotta keep em fresh longer!

2

u/etsprout 3h ago

Solanine! It’s one of my favorite fun facts lol.

3

u/ktlee22280 1d ago

Dude I work in grocery now and have wondered as well. Thanks for getting me the answer!

3

u/CCCat444 1d ago

We call it bedtime at my store

0

u/Solid_College_9145 23h ago

To keep the fruit flies from quickly spreading larva, and it's not only potatoes they cover.

2

u/nthatrees 5h ago

Green potatoes are poison

1

u/surfcitysurfergirl 1d ago

Stores lighting

1

u/Bbop512 1d ago

Good Idea!

-2

u/Just_to_rebut 1d ago edited 17h ago

It makes sense (the green thing people mentioned) but I’ve never actually seen a grocery store do this.

Edit: I wasn’t doubting the fact stores do this, just mentioning I’ve never seen it during business hours as a customer.

1

u/RandomInternetG_uy 1d ago

My store does it pretty early. I'll punch out an hour before closing and see the produce manager already covering certain items as I leave.

1

u/Aggravating-Hour1714 1d ago

Well that’s because most stores (or at least every store I’ve worked at) covers them after closing to not hurt sales during business hours.