BS: How did my spuds freeze?

Subject: BS: How did my spuds freeze?
From: gnu
Date: 04 Aug 11 - 03:41 PM

I have a fridge in my basement. For a month, I have had, among other items, spuds, new crop, from the US in this fridge. A week ago, I bought New Brunswick spuds, new crop (rather small), and put them beside the US spuds. My fridge is not set cold enough to freeze anything. The US spuds are fine. The NB spuds glazed over with ice, turned black and are now compost.

HUH? Isn't that impossible?

Subject: RE: BS: How did my spuds freeze?
From: mg
Date: 04 Aug 11 - 03:44 PM

It sounds like potato famine all over. mg

Subject: RE: BS: How did my spuds freeze?
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 04 Aug 11 - 03:45 PM

Hello gnu! I wonder if your NB spuds had a greater water content? If so, the cold would cause tiny ice particles to rupture the structure of the flesh, making it go to mush. If the US spuds were drier, they would retain their form. I suspect your fridge is quite cold, and the water evaporating from the moister spuds caused the temp to drop futher, to just about freezing, inside each spud. That's my half-pennorth of a theory!

Subject: RE: BS: How did my spuds freeze?
From: gnu
Date: 04 Aug 11 - 03:50 PM

"the water evaporating from the moister spuds caused the temp to drop futher"

Huh? How could that alter the amount of heat energy in the fridge?

Subject: RE: BS: How did my spuds freeze?
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 04 Aug 11 - 03:53 PM

The temp in each spud, gnu, not the temp in the fridge compartment. Nothing else in the fridge had ice on did it? That leads me to think only the NB spuds were evaporating their excess water. I'm only surmising, I'm no scientist!

Subject: RE: BS: How did my spuds freeze?
From: GUEST,999
Date: 04 Aug 11 - 04:20 PM

Examine it in the following manner. Suppose the spud was a small beet. Then suppose the spud was a big beet. Confused? Lemme try it this way. Suppose the spud was a small ice cube before it became an ice cube. Then suppose the spud was a huge ice cube but before it actually became an ice cube, both in their waterous/y state. Then, boom, a freeze hits. The small water ice cube would actually become an ice cube faster than the big ice cube would become an ice cube. I'm guessing here, too, gnu. The people to ask would be at McCain's food company. They freeze lots of potatoes that don't turn black and become compost.

"How many French fries does McCain make?
        
McCain's potato processing plants around the world have a total production capacity of more than one million pounds of potato products an hour. McCain makes one third of all the frozen French fries produced in the world."

Hope that helps.

Subject: RE: BS: How did my spuds freeze?
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 04 Aug 11 - 04:49 PM

If you are serious, for your edification I provide the following theory. Not definitive, but plausible nevertheless. Your fridge is kept cold by two things; a compressor and a thermostat. The thermostat has a thermometer. When the thermometer goes below above a certain threshold the compressor cuts in and runs until the thermometer goes below that level.

Either

1. The compressor cools the area near the NB Spuds more than the area around the thermometer.

2. Some the cooling of the spuds was compounded by evaporation of water as eliza said.

3. The air circulation in your fridge is restricted.

4. It is cooled in your fridge than you think.

5. Your compressor is broke and runs too much/

6. your thermostat is broke and causes your compressor to run too much.

7. any combination or 2 or more of the above.

8. one of your neighbors froze your spuds in a deep freeze and put them back in your fridge.

Subject: RE: BS: How did my spuds freeze?
From: gnu
Date: 04 Aug 11 - 04:59 PM

Fuck me! That bastard Garge froze me spuds? That's it! I am goin over there right now and pound the shit outta that prick.

On accounta the New York spuds and the other stuff are fine but my NB spuds are in the compsost. Yeah... it musta been Garge... had ta be. But, Garge is getting dotty in his old age. Maybe I shouldn't pound on him... just keep my doors locked from now on eh?

Maybe it was the McCains. They are into world wide potatoe domination. And pizza, and, well, just about anything you can freeze. Ya can't trust a herring choker eh?

Subject: RE: BS: How did my spuds freeze?
From: catspaw49
Date: 04 Aug 11 - 05:15 PM

When your spuds get cold does your carrot shrivel up?

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: How did my spuds freeze?
From: GUEST,999
Date: 04 Aug 11 - 05:58 PM

Potatoes are healthy and potatoes are not fattening!

Fat free, cholesterol free and low in calories - A medium-sized potato has no fat, no cholesterol and contains only 110 calories!

Sodium Free - Low sodium diets help to reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke.

Vitamin C — don't just think of oranges anymore - By eating one medium sized potato, you will receive 45% of the recommended daily value of Vitamin C — a great antioxidant.

More potassium than bananas! - Potatoes contain 21% of the recommended daily value of potassium — a great way to build stronger bones.

Good Source of Fiber - The 3g of fiber in one medium-sized potato is 12% of the recommended daily value. Diets high in fiber are beneficial for a healthy digestive system and may reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease. Consuming adequate fiber also makes you feel fuller, helping to reduce snacking between meals.

Gnu is a Maritimer and don't know shit about New Brunswick potatoes which he keeps in his fridge. Martha would be very disappointed. Tsk, tsk!

Less than 10% of the daily value of carbohydrates - Potatoes contain 26g of carbohydrates, only 9% of the recommended daily value. Complex carbohydrates are a great source of energy for the body.

A Great Antioxidant - Potatoes have one of the highest overall antioxidant activity among vegetables. Antioxidants protect key cell components by neutralizing the damaging effects of "free radicals." Potatoes also contain glutathione, an antioxidant that may help protect against some cancers.

Subject: RE: BS: How did my spuds freeze?
From: gnu
Date: 04 Aug 11 - 06:03 PM

999... I knew that. I just still don't know why they froze when the other stuff didn't.

BTW... you workin fer McCain?

Subject: RE: BS: How did my spuds freeze?
From: GUEST,999
Date: 04 Aug 11 - 06:30 PM

Just found this on the Bushmans' site--they are potato people:


"Can I freeze raw potatoes?

No. They will turn black and become soft upon thawing. It's best to pre-cook the potatoes and then freeze them."


I'd suspect that a part of your fridge got cold enough to freeze the NB potatoes but not the US potatoes.

Subject: RE: BS: How did my spuds freeze?
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 04 Aug 11 - 06:40 PM

Joe! Some potato Spammer is pretending to be 999!!

Subject: RE: BS: How did my spuds freeze?
From: gnu
Date: 04 Aug 11 - 06:44 PM

They were side by each. I think it's the US spuds messing over my Canuck spuds. I shall inform Harper immediately.

Hmmm... if I do, might the Royal Canadian Mashed Potatoes show up at ny door and confiscate the evidence to prevent an international icicident?

Subject: RE: BS: How did my spuds freeze?
From: GUEST,999
Date: 04 Aug 11 - 06:56 PM

The eyes have it.

Subject: RE: BS: How did my spuds freeze?
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 04 Aug 11 - 06:59 PM

Its all the BT and genemod and hormones in the US spuds no doubt. They probably wouldn't freeze in liquid nitrogen.

Subject: RE: BS: How did my spuds freeze?
From: catspaw49
Date: 04 Aug 11 - 07:06 PM

I'm still wondering if your carrot is shriveled...............

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: How did my spuds freeze?
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 04 Aug 11 - 07:08 PM

Are you saying that to annoy Little Hawk?????   ;-)

Subject: RE: BS: How did my spuds freeze?
From: Ed T
Date: 04 Aug 11 - 07:40 PM

New potatoes, versus older potatoes:

""Different kinds of starch have different arrangements of molecules, and some are easier for our digestive enzymes to get at than others. One kind of starch, called amylose, is broken down quite slowly. The higher the amount of amylose in a starch, the more slowly it is digested. New potatoes (sometimes described as "waxy") have a starch that is closer to amylose in structure than more mature potatoes, and they are somewhat less "glycemic". (Glycemia is the related noun meaning glucose or sugar in the blood).

High glycemic food cause a larger rise in blood glucose, which can last for a longer time as well. Low glycemic foods tend to cause small blood sugar rises that don't last as long. Foods with a lot of sugar in them tend to be very glycemic. People are sometimes surprised to hear that the starches in foods such as potatoes, bread, and grain products are made up of long strings of glucose, so these foods can be as or more glycemic than sugary foods.""

Now, don't that turn your brown spuds blue?

Subject: RE: BS: How did my spuds freeze?
From: Ed T
Date: 04 Aug 11 - 07:57 PM

Boiled potatoes lower in Glycemic Index than baked.

http://www.natural-health-information-centre.com/glycemic-index.html


Different potato varieties may have different Glycemic levels?

http://www.andersenchiro.com/potatoes-and-the-variability-of-the-glycemic-index.shtml

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15800557

http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/questionsandanswers/a/potatoglycemic.htm

Subject: RE: BS: How did my spuds freeze?
From: gnu
Date: 04 Aug 11 - 10:02 PM

But... they froze... and the fridge wasn't cold enough to freeze anything. They fuckin froze and none of the other stuff froze! HOW is that possible? Seriously... I don't believe in UFOs or reincarnation or most Gods or you name it. But these spuds FROZE.

Must be Little Hawk's fault somehow.

I guess I'll just have to buy smaller bags of spuds and keep em in the kitchen and forget about it... if I can. Gives me the shivers.

Subject: RE: BS: How did my spuds freeze?
From: Ed T
Date: 04 Aug 11 - 10:13 PM

how to freeze your pup

Subject: RE: BS: How did my spuds freeze?
From: gnu
Date: 04 Aug 11 - 10:17 PM

Just read a snippet before oggies, Ed... hahahahahaa. I'll read more on the morrow.

Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the lord my soul to... zzzzz

Subject: RE: BS: How did my spuds freeze?
From: Ed T
Date: 04 Aug 11 - 10:19 PM

hot water freeze faster than cold?

Subject: RE: BS: How did my spuds freeze?
From: GUEST,Guest from sanity
Date: 04 Aug 11 - 10:21 PM

BS: How did my spuds freeze?

When camping on a real cold night...and forgot your sleeping bag???

Wink!
GfS

Subject: RE: BS: How did my spuds freeze?
From: Ed T
Date: 04 Aug 11 - 10:45 PM

Gnu< I suspect different varieties, soils and climate produce potatoes with different texture, starch content, densities and water levels. These differences likely explain that they freeze at slightly different rates.

http://www.woodprairie.com/kitchen

Subject: RE: BS: How did my spuds freeze?
From: Ebbie
Date: 04 Aug 11 - 10:52 PM

Nah. Like most things, US products are better'n Canadian.




Oh oooooohhhhhhh. I dinna mean it, gnu.

Subject: RE: BS: How did my spuds freeze?
From: catspaw49
Date: 04 Aug 11 - 11:12 PM

But how about the carrot?

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: How did my spuds freeze?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 05 Aug 11 - 12:10 AM

Although water freezes at a fairly uniform temperature, lots of other things, even ones that contain lots of water, freeze at slightly to moderately different temperatures. It's likely that the potatoes that "froze" had a significant difference in starch content, or of some other "potato stuff" that makes a transition in state much like freezing of plain water at a slightly higher temperature.

Many materials other than plain water expand slightly during the transition from "squishy" to "hard," and the expansion of "juices" within the cells can break down the cells to produce a sort off "watery slurry" of "goop" that is very susceptible to rapid chemical degeneration resembling, if not exactly like, more typical "rotting."

Quite a few vegetables can suffer "freezer damage" at temperatures as high as 40 - 45 F (4 - 7 C). Typical refrigerator temperatures are usually at, or just below 40 F (4.44 C). Most prepared foods, and things like the milk, eggs, cabbage, and meat, are not harmed noticeably by temperatures down to around 35 F or even lower, but there are a number of things, especially some "leafy veggies" that can show what "looks like ice" at temps up to near 50 F in "still air."

I haven't heard of potatoes "freezing" at temperatures significantly above what's expected, but the variation in internal constituents could easily change their apparent freezing point by quite a few degrees.

Just as adding alcohol lowers the freezing point of water there are a number of other things that can be added to water to raise the freezing point. (Raspberry Jello?) I can't say what specific common "potato stuff" might cause what happened, but the event is not really a miracle so I wouldn't bother with a letter to the pope.

Chilling some vegetables can also cause a bit of "migration" of the juices, with "sweating" of the skins seen even with temperatures well above dew point, due to moisture coming from inside. Moisture, in the absence of air circulation can contribute to extremely rapid deterioration of some potatoe varieties.

Your local grocer might be able to tell you what "normal long-term storage" temperature is recommended for potatoes, but my recollection is it's usually something "near 50 F" with a minimum of about 45 F, although the potatoe variety and condition could swing that quite a bit either way.

John

Subject: RE: BS: How did my spuds freeze?
From: Ed T
Date: 05 Aug 11 - 04:13 PM

Other considerations:
Could the smaller NB spuds have fewer air spaces between them than the larger USA ones? Trapped air is a good insulator.
Many frdges freeze and cool items stored in different locations. Some of the differences are by design (not religion), others are not. Could your fridge in the basement be a cheaper or older variety, that would not freeze uniformly?

Subject: RE: BS: How did my spuds freeze?
From: GUEST,999
Date: 05 Aug 11 - 04:15 PM

Let's get serious for a sec. Gnu, Spaw wants to know how your rabbit lure is.

Subject: RE: BS: How did my spuds freeze?
From: gnu
Date: 05 Aug 11 - 04:56 PM

What raises the freezing temp of water?

As for my carrot, Dr. Oz has said on Oprah that a 30# weight loss "adds" an inch to your carrot. I have lost over 90#. Bend over. I'll even give you a reach around, Spaw.

Subject: RE: BS: How did my spuds freeze?
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 05 Aug 11 - 05:04 PM

brrrrrrrr

Subject: RE: BS: How did my spuds freeze?
From: Ed T
Date: 05 Aug 11 - 06:19 PM

Are you ready to take on 73 year old Jane Fonda, GNU?

Jane at 73

Subject: RE: BS: How did my spuds freeze?
From: gnu
Date: 05 Aug 11 - 06:31 PM

Ready? I EAT DAT!