I have to store 5 boxes of Russet potatoes in my walk-in cooler for 1 week at a time. They will then go into my kitchen to be used throughout the next week for French fries, mashed and baked potatoes. My walk-in ranges from 35-40 degrees depending on how often the door is opened. Will that one week in the cooler cause the sugar content to get too high in the potatoes for my cooking needs?

For French fries, that one week might be an issue. Below 40 degrees F the starch turns to sugar. I’d store those as close to the door as possible as the opening and closing may keep the temps up enough to delay the conversion. You could also store the potatoes destined for fresh fries outside the walk in, many people do this. For baked and mashed stored in the cooler you may get a slightly sweeter taste, but not much and so they should be fine.

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