Cutting open a potato only to find a dark ring or patch inside can be alarming — but it is rarely a sign of serious spoilage. This phenomenon is far more common than most people realize, and understanding its causes can save you from unnecessarily throwing away perfectly edible food. Here is what science and food safety say about the black ring inside your potato.

One of the most disorienting aspects of this phenomenon is that the outside of the potato gives no visible warning. The skin appears intact, the texture feels firm, and there is no…


