# Green potato chips

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-potato-chips/6431>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 21, 2000, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-potato-chips/6431 "2000-01-21T21:31:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![djbanker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@djbanker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/djbanker)\
**Post date:** [January 21, 2000, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-potato-chips/6431/1 "2000-01-21T21:31:00Z")

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While recently noshing on a bag of standard plain chips, I noticed several green tinted chips. What causes this phenomenon and more importantly, are the chips safe to eat?

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**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\
**Post date:** [January 21, 2000, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-potato-chips/6431/2 "2000-01-21T22:54:00Z")

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A search of “classic columns” came up with Cecil’s column on this very subject:  
[http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2\_055b.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_055b.html)

Briefly, the answer is no, not in the small numbers you typically find.

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**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\
**Post date:** [January 21, 2000, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-potato-chips/6431/3 "2000-01-21T22:58:00Z")

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Sigh.

I meant, “Briefly, the answer is **yes** , they are safe to eat, at least in the numbers you typically find.”

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**Author:** ![mr\_john](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@mr\_john](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr_john)\
**Post date:** [January 21, 2000, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-potato-chips/6431/4 "2000-01-21T23:34:00Z")

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## “What causes this phenomenon…” They are made from Irish potatoes.

“Pardon me while I have a strange interlude.”-Marx

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**Author:** ![melanietarrant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/898d66/32.png) [@melanietarrant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/melanietarrant)\
**Post date:** [January 22, 2000, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-potato-chips/6431/5 "2000-01-22T01:59:00Z")

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ok, as a farm girl i just want to say.  
i was always told anything green on a potato plant was poisonous.  
but the green spots on chips have such a small amount of toxins it’s pretty much harmless.

i guess if you insisted on eating a entire bag of green spotted chips you would have symptoms simmilar to an intestinal virus

the part of the potato people eat are is the root. if the root comes in contact with sun light it will turn green

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I’m pink therefore I’m Spam

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**Author:** ![ChiefScott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58f4c7/32.png) [@ChiefScott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChiefScott)\
**Post date:** [January 22, 2000, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-potato-chips/6431/6 "2000-01-22T08:31:00Z")

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But do they have the same innate properties as green M&Ms?

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