TL;DR
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A recent report by The Kitchn, citing food scientist Abbey Thiel, says potatoes, sweet potatoes, tomatoes and onions can lose quality when refrigerated. The effects differ by vegetable, and storage advice depends on factors such as humidity, cooking method and how soon the food will be used.
Potatoes, sweet potatoes, tomatoes and onions may lose quality in the refrigerator, according to a recent storage report from The Kitchn, which consulted food scientist Abbey Thiel. The effects range from bland tomatoes to potatoes that brown more quickly during high-heat cooking, so keeping every vegetable in the crisper is not always the best choice.
Thiel, founder of the website Abbey the Food Scientist, told The Kitchn that produce continues to carry out metabolic processes and respire after harvest. Refrigeration slows those processes and can delay spoilage, but cold temperatures can also trigger changes in some vegetables that affect flavor and texture.
For potatoes, Thiel said refrigeration can convert some starch into sugar. That may cause refrigerated potatoes to brown faster when fried or roasted, before developing the crisp texture a cook wants. The report also notes a potential food-safety concern: high-temperature cooking of potatoes with more sugar can produce greater amounts of acrylamide. The substance has been linked to cancer risk in some animal studies, but the report says the risks to people remain unclear.
The reported effects vary by vegetable. Prolonged cold exposure can cause chill injury in sweet potatoes, leaving spots that stay hard after cooking. Tomatoes may look normal but taste bland because refrigeration disrupts processes involved in ripening and flavor development. For onions, the concern is moisture: refrigerator humidity can encourage mold and decay.
How Cold Storage Changes Produce
The practical point is that refrigeration does not improve every vegetable. A potato stored cold may be less suited to hash browns or roasting, while a tomato kept in the refrigerator may lose flavor. For households, choosing a storage spot based on the type of produce can help preserve the qualities that matter when cooking and reduce avoidable waste.
The potato discussion also calls for careful wording. The report describes increased acrylamide formation as a potential concern tied to cooking refrigerated potatoes at high temperatures; it does not establish a specific level of risk to people. Animal-study findings are not proof of human harm, and the source gives no risk estimate. Boiling potatoes for mash or soup is described as less affected by the extra sugars than frying or roasting.
These recommendations are not a blanket instruction to keep all vegetables at room temperature. The advice in the report is specific to the four foods discussed, and storage conditions still matter. A cool, dry, ventilated area is different from a warm, damp kitchen counter, especially for produce that can mold or decay.
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Why Produce Reacts Differently
The report frames the advice around a common shopping habit: putting the whole vegetable haul in the refrigerator to make it last. Thiel’s explanation is that harvested produce remains biologically active. Cold slows some processes, which helps many foods keep, but it can also interfere with ripening or cause damage in vegetables sensitive to low temperatures.
The Kitchn recommends storing ordinary potatoes and sweet potatoes in a cool, dark or dry place rather than the refrigerator. It advises keeping onions somewhere cool, dry and well-ventilated. For tomatoes, it suggests leaving them on the counter, including upside-down, or covering the stem scar with tape to limit oxidation. These are the article’s recommendations; it does not provide a comparative shelf-life test or a single storage temperature for each food.
The report is a shopping and food-storage article, not a new scientific study or public-health notice. Its specific claims are attributed to Thiel, and the source material does not include independent testing, detailed study citations or storage guidance from a food-safety agency.
“Fresh fruits and vegetables continue to carry out metabolic processes and respire even after they’re picked.”
— Abbey Thiel, food scientist and founder of Abbey the Food Scientist, as quoted by The Kitchn
Limits of the Storage Advice
The report does not specify how long vegetables must be refrigerated before these effects occur, or how much temperature variation changes the outcome. It also gives no measured comparison of flavor, texture or shelf life across different storage conditions. The extent of the effects is not quantified.
The health implications of acrylamide in this situation remain uncertain. The source refers to links found in some animal studies, but provides no estimate of human risk from eating potatoes stored in a refrigerator and then fried or roasted. The claim should not be read as evidence that a particular serving is dangerous.
Advice may also depend on the condition of the produce, the room’s temperature and humidity, and how soon it will be used. The source does not address every variety, cut or prepared form of these vegetables, or give broader guidance for food safety. Its recommendations concern intact produce stored under suitable cool, dry conditions.
Choose Storage by Vegetable
For now, the report’s practical recommendation is to separate these four vegetables from the routine refrigerator load: keep potatoes and sweet potatoes in a cool, dark or dry place, store onions in a cool, dry, ventilated spot, and leave tomatoes on the counter if flavor is the priority. Use the refrigerator for vegetables that benefit from cold storage rather than applying one rule to all produce.
Readers seeking more precise advice can check food-safety guidance for the conditions in their home and the form of produce they are storing. The source does not announce a follow-up study or official change in guidance; it presents practical advice based on Thiel’s comments. Whether the effects vary substantially by variety and storage duration remains a matter the report does not resolve.
Key Questions
Which vegetables does the report advise keeping out of the refrigerator?
The Kitchn report, citing Abbey Thiel, names potatoes, sweet potatoes, tomatoes and onions. It recommends suitable cool, dry storage for the tubers and onions, and countertop storage for tomatoes.
Why can refrigerated potatoes brown faster?
Thiel said cold storage can break down potato starch into sugars. Those sugars can make potatoes brown more quickly during frying or roasting, potentially before they become crisp.
Does the report prove that refrigerated potatoes cause cancer?
No. The report says high-heat cooking can produce more acrylamide in potatoes with higher sugar levels and notes that some animal studies have linked the substance with cancer risk. Human risks remain unclear, and the source provides no estimate of risk from eating these potatoes.
What is the recommended way to store onions?
The report advises keeping onions in a cool, dry, well-ventilated place, because refrigerator humidity can contribute to mold and decay.
Will refrigerated tomatoes look spoiled?
Not necessarily. Thiel said cold temperatures can interfere with ripening and flavor, so tomatoes may look fine but taste bland. The report does not quantify how often that happens.
Source: thekitchn.com
