Oils Of Herbs/Spices May Provide Eco-Friendly Answer To Potato Spoilage Problems

A Spanish researcher looking to solve the problem of spoilage (i.e., sprouting or rotting) of potatoes during storage has found that treating tubers with oil of coriander for industrial potatoes, and with oil of mint for both industrial and table-stock crops, retards germination. Currently, the chemical Clorprofam (CIPC) is used to suppress sprouting of potatoes. But environmental and safety concerns have fueled the search for alternatives that preserve the quality of the crop. The researcher also found that the oil of eucalyptus prevented germination (sprouting) of table-stock potatoes and “could be another alternative for reducing post-harvest losses.”