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Bloke Down The Pub · 22-12-2011, 12:49 AM posted to rec.gardens.edible

"David Hare-Scott" wrote in message
...
wrote:
If there is anyone still around I have a strange question. We bought
50 pounds of tiny red potatoes back in October and they were great.
Now we are finding that they taste "sweet" for lack of a better term.
What could cause this? They are not growing, they are not soft, they
appear like they did back in October but they taste funny. In mashed
we have checked the milk, used filtered water to boil, really tried to
keep the variables the same. I hate to throw the last 15 pounds away
but they just aren't good. Besides I don't want this to happen again.
Any ideas?
Thanks,MJ

I haven't had this experience and I haven't done any research so this is
just a guess, take it for what it's worth. The taters are still alive and
metabolising. The carbohydrate metabolism of many plants converts sugars
into starches and vice versa depending on requirements. My guess is that
your spuds are mobilising starch and converting to sugar preparatory to
producing shoots. Why don't all of them do this in a way that is
detectable? Dunno.

Whatever the reason for it I cannot imagine there is anything harmful
about it unless there is also solanine developing. Take the usual
precautions.

D

Starch to sugar, sugar to vodka sounds like a project to me.

Mike