Cold-induced sweetening is the accumulation of reducing sugars in potato tubers stored at low temperatures, which causes dark fry colour and increases acrylamide formation risk in processed products.
In trade practice
Processing potato buyers specify storage temperature ranges in supply contracts to limit reducing sugar levels before delivery. Suppliers storing at temperatures typical for table potatoes risk rejection at intake when fry colour tests fail. QA teams use glucose and fructose assays or fry colour charts as acceptance criteria. Reconditioning at higher temperatures for several weeks can partially reverse the effect but is not always reliable.
In a specification
A processing potato specification typically states a maximum reducing sugar content and a target storage temperature range, with fry colour grade as an acceptance criterion at intake.