Mud could be the latest method for improving the shelf life of potatoes and carrots, according to Asda.

The supermarket started to sell potatoes and carrots still covered with soil last month after Asda technologists discovered that unwashed potatoes and carrots can last up to three weeks longer than their washed equivalents.

The mud acts as a natural preservative as it prevents light from reaching the surface of vegetables and helps to keep them cool, said Asda experts.

The move, which cuts production costs and could make produce up a third cheaper on the shop floor, could save millions of pounds by reducing waste in the home the use of water, according to the retailer.

Sales of unwashed potatoes at Asda have jumped by 20 per cent since they were introduced.

Asda spokesman Andy Jackson said: “ Food scientists around the world have spent decades searching for ways to preserve these vegetables - and yet we were standing on the answer all along.

“Muddy potatoes and carrots may not look as pretty as washed ones, but they taste just as good, and cost a lot less to buy.

Asda’s unwashed white potatoes cost 73p for a 2.5kg bag, compared to £1.12 for their washed equivalent. Unwashed carrots will be introduced to store next week and are also expected to be significantly cheaper.

The weight of each bag is adjusted so that customers pay for the vegetable, rather than the mud, said Asda.

The decision is a step back to the methods of potato production in Britain almost a century ago.

But Asda believes that a major shift in public perception is under way. Jackson said: “Twenty years ago we couldn’t have sold muddy potatoes and carrots - no one would have wanted to buy them.

“Now, we’ve gone full circle. Customers today demand quality and value more than good looks - which means we can re-introduce old veg preserving methods.”

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