Small Red Potatoes....Are They Dyed?

Stu Pot

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Location
Central Mexico
Lately we have been getting small red potatoes in our local stands, markets at at local restaurants. Other expats tell me they are dyed red. And the test is whether they lose some of their red coloring when rubbed or cooked.

I bought some and when I rub them when wet, I do get a bit of red on a white cloth. And when I boil them, there is a loss of skin color. But I am unsure whether this is simply their nature or if it is indicative of a dye.

Opinions appreciated! FWIW, they are absolutely divine tasting....creamy and reminiscent of the best fingerlings I used to get in the US. FYI, most Mexican potatoes are rather lackluster in both taste and texture. I wonder if these red little ones are being grown for the US market (and we are lucky to get some of them locally).
 
Some growers do dye their fruit and veg (it's not just potatoes), but it's hard to know in your specific instance. It may be that someone pointed it out once that the practice does exist, and now people are assuming any red potato is dyed.
 
The red potatoes we get do lose a tiny bit of color when cooked, but I think that's normal, as the purple ones do as well. Not sure why they would go to the trouble of dying potatoes red as the reds are as easy to grow as the white/yellow ones.
 
Lately we have been getting small red potatoes in our local stands, markets at at local restaurants. Other expats tell me they are dyed red. And the test is whether they lose some of their red coloring when rubbed or cooked.

Is there any chance you can post a photo?

To me it seems unlikely that potatoes would be dyed. Its not as if they are an ingredient which could be sold at a very high price, so why bother? But I really don't know. For sure, genuine red potatoes will lose some colour when boiled, though.
 
If you wipe them with a wet paper towel or cloth, does some red come off??

red potatoes.jpg
 
You said your red ones fade, does water get a little pink? I wouldn't put too much stock into color in my photo...the whole picture came out rather bright. The potatoes look like what I used to see in the US but have not bought them there in decades.
 
You said your red ones fade, does water get a little pink? I wouldn't put too much stock into color in my photo...the whole picture came out rather bright. The potatoes look like what I used to see in the US but have not bought them there in decades.


I took your photo into photoshop, and corrected the color based on the white parts in your tile being pretty darn close to true white. The potatoes were less "vibrant" in color, but still not quite right to my eye.

I have never had color leech out of my red potatoes from soaking. As with white potatoes, I just get cloudy (starchy) water. If your soaking water gets pink, I would be suspicious.

CD
 
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