I remember my mother, way back in the 1940s and 1950s, cutting and throwing
away the green, poisonous, portion of a potato and using the rest of it in
cooking - she assumed, obviously, that what was left would be alright and
safe to eat and I and my siblings are all alive and well so she must have
been right to a certain extent!



Recently, on a TV gardening program, however, we were told to throw away the
whole potato as it was all poisonous. However, in this day and age, I don't
trust everything I see and hear on TV.



This year, I had a very good crop of potatoes but some of the very large
ones are partially green. Was my mother right or should I throw away the
green ones? Having not had the problem because all our potatoes came from
the greengrocer or supermarket until I got my allotment a couple of years
ago, I'm not sure what to do.



I'd be grateful for any advice, please.



Regards,



John

"John Vanini" wrote in message
...
I remember my mother, way back in the 1940s and 1950s, cutting and throwing
away the green, poisonous, portion of a potato and using the rest of it in
cooking

My Mum did the same and we lived to tell the tale. Plus, being honest, I
tend to just cut away the green portion too

Recently, on a TV gardening program, however, we were told to throw away
the whole potato as it was all poisonous. However, in this day and age, I
don't trust everything I see and hear on TV.
Me neither

--
Barb

On 1 Aug, 05:54, "John Vanini" wrote:
I'd be grateful for any advice, please.
http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_055b.html is quite good on the
subject.

I just remove the green bits, fairly agressively, myself.

In article . com,
writes:
| On 1 Aug, 05:54, "John Vanini" wrote:
| I'd be grateful for any advice, please.
| http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_055b.html is quite good on the
| subject.
|
| I just remove the green bits, fairly agressively, myself.

I chased this up a while back, and here is a (not totally reliable,
but based on real research papers) summary:

As that says, potatoes go green when exposed to light, and accumulate
a much larger amount of the toxic alkaloid solanine in the green bits.
However, that is strongly associated with bitterness and so, if they
don't taste bitter, there isn't much. Even 'ungreen' potatoes contain
small amounts of solanin.

In small quantities, the only people who are in any danger from solanin
are women in the first trimester of pregnancy - solanin is somewhat
teratogenic. However, ascorbic acid (vitamin C) is an antidote to
solanin, and there is enough in most ungreen potatoes to counteract
it. So the risk is so low as to be not worth worrying about.

It seems likely (though not proven) that the birth defect problems
caused to the Irish in the 19th centuries were not actually due to
blight creating a teratogen, but to it destroying the ascorbic acid
and thus (in a people whose main source of it was potatoes) causing
the solanin to have that effect.

So all girls and women between 6 and 60 should keep up their vitamin C
intake, just in case, and cut away all green or blighted parts or
avoid such potatoes.

But, as I said, that is merely my understanding from the papers that
I read. I am no expert.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...

In article . com,
writes:
| On 1 Aug, 05:54, "John Vanini" wrote:
| I'd be grateful for any advice, please.
| http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_055b.html is quite good on the
| subject.
|
| I just remove the green bits, fairly agressively, myself.

I chased this up a while back, and here is a (not totally reliable,
but based on real research papers) summary:

As that says, potatoes go green when exposed to light, and accumulate
a much larger amount of the toxic alkaloid solanine in the green bits.
However, that is strongly associated with bitterness and so, if they
don't taste bitter, there isn't much. Even 'ungreen' potatoes contain
small amounts of solanin.

Ah, confirmation of my experience! I cut off the green bits only because
they taste bitter,

In small quantities, the only people who are in any danger from solanin
are women in the first trimester of pregnancy - solanin is somewhat
teratogenic. However, ascorbic acid (vitamin C) is an antidote to
solanin, and there is enough in most ungreen potatoes to counteract
it. So the risk is so low as to be not worth worrying about.

That's why I don't worry about toxicity.

Mary

In reply to John Vanini ) who wrote this in
, I, Marvo, say :

I remember my mother, way back in the 1940s and 1950s, cutting and
throwing away the green, poisonous, portion of a potato and using the
rest of it in cooking - she assumed, obviously, that what was left
would be alright and safe to eat and I and my siblings are all alive
and well so she must have been right to a certain extent!



Recently, on a TV gardening program, however, we were told to throw
away the whole potato as it was all poisonous. However, in this day
and age, I don't trust everything I see and hear on TV.



This year, I had a very good crop of potatoes but some of the very
large ones are partially green. Was my mother right or should I throw
away the green ones? Having not had the problem because all our
potatoes came from the greengrocer or supermarket until I got my
allotment a couple of years ago, I'm not sure what to do.



I'd be grateful for any advice, please.

I eat them green, as long as they cook all right and will still mash. I
haven't died yet, to my knowledge, nor become ill.

Mind, I haven't died of smoking 20 Marlboro a day since I was 14, nor
drinking wifebeater to excess, driving an unfeasibly large motorbike, hang
gliding or testing the HT on the back of televisions using my fingers.

I shall probably be run over by a bus later. If I am, La Puce wants my
Bougainvillea. Everyone else can have what's left in the fridge :-)

Thanks to all for your replies. My wife was adamant that she has always cut
off the green bit and I've never noticed!

I can't remember who it was on TV who said not to eat any of the potato but
he was so emphatic that I began to doubt my memory!

Oh dear, my wife's right again! One of these days it must be my turn!

Regards,

John


"Uncle Marvo" wrote in message
...
In reply to John Vanini ) who wrote this in
, I, Marvo, say :

I remember my mother, way back in the 1940s and 1950s, cutting and
throwing away the green, poisonous, portion of a potato and using the
rest of it in cooking - she assumed, obviously, that what was left
would be alright and safe to eat and I and my siblings are all alive
and well so she must have been right to a certain extent!



Recently, on a TV gardening program, however, we were told to throw
away the whole potato as it was all poisonous. However, in this day
and age, I don't trust everything I see and hear on TV.



This year, I had a very good crop of potatoes but some of the very
large ones are partially green. Was my mother right or should I throw
away the green ones? Having not had the problem because all our
potatoes came from the greengrocer or supermarket until I got my
allotment a couple of years ago, I'm not sure what to do.



I'd be grateful for any advice, please.

I eat them green, as long as they cook all right and will still mash. I
haven't died yet, to my knowledge, nor become ill.

Mind, I haven't died of smoking 20 Marlboro a day since I was 14, nor
drinking wifebeater to excess, driving an unfeasibly large motorbike, hang
gliding or testing the HT on the back of televisions using my fingers.

I shall probably be run over by a bus later. If I am, La Puce wants my
Bougainvillea. Everyone else can have what's left in the fridge :-)

"John Vanini" wrote in message
...
Thanks to all for your replies. My wife was adamant that she has always
cut off the green bit and I've never noticed!

I can't remember who it was on TV who said not to eat any of the potato
but he was so emphatic that I began to doubt my memory!

Oh dear, my wife's right again! One of these days it must be my turn!

Regards,

John

Spouse insists that on GQT he's heard that you must never, ever, eat ANY raw
beans. I say it's dried red beans (who would anyway?) but he was reluctant
to eat some very raw tender, slender runner beans last week. He did and
we're still here.

Amazing, innit!

Mary

In reply to Mary Fisher ) who wrote this in
, I, Marvo, say :

"John Vanini" wrote in message
...
Thanks to all for your replies. My wife was adamant that she has
always cut off the green bit and I've never noticed!

I can't remember who it was on TV who said not to eat any of the
potato but he was so emphatic that I began to doubt my memory!

Oh dear, my wife's right again! One of these days it must be my turn!

Regards,

John

Spouse insists that on GQT he's heard that you must never, ever, eat
ANY raw beans. I say it's dried red beans (who would anyway?) but he
was reluctant to eat some very raw tender, slender runner beans last
week. He did and we're still here.

Amazing, innit!

Amazing. There is nothing better than raw young broad beans out of the
garden with the pods still on. I also reheat chili con carne which is a week
or so old, and has been only refrigerated. 10 minutes on 40% power in the
micro, then a minute on ful. I also reheat the rice, which you should NEVER
do.

However, I had serious Staph poisoning once a couple of years ago after
eating a pack of T E S C O (spits) young beans with sweetcorn, which I
washed, from Tanzania or somewhere like that.

Never again. Nearest I've come to thinking my number was called. Back on the
elephant's leg kebab again now. Never hurt anyone.

Why has bottled water got a sell-by date on it? H&S gorn mad, I say.

"Uncle Marvo" wrote in message
...

Amazing, innit!

Amazing. There is nothing better than raw young broad beans out of the
garden with the pods still on. I also reheat chili con carne which is a
week or so old, and has been only refrigerated. 10 minutes on 40% power in
the micro, then a minute on ful. I also reheat the rice, which you should
NEVER do.

looks round

I know. And of COURSE I'd never do a thing like that ...

whistles

However, I had serious Staph poisoning once a couple of years ago after
eating a pack of T E S C O (spits) young beans with sweetcorn,

Serves you right. Moral - don't shop at T*sc*.


Never again. Nearest I've come to thinking my number was called. Back on
the elephant's leg kebab again now. Never hurt anyone.

Never tried that. Spouse thought his time was up last year after an RRP when
he developed Clos.d. The surgeon insisted on sending him home, he began a
recovery immediately.

Why has bottled water got a sell-by date on it? H&S gorn mad, I say.

Why has kaolin got a sell-by date on it when it's been in the ground for
millions of years?

Mary

In article ,
"Uncle Marvo" writes:
| In reply to Mary Fisher ) who wrote this in
| , I, Marvo, say :
|
| Spouse insists that on GQT he's heard that you must never, ever, eat
| ANY raw beans. I say it's dried red beans (who would anyway?) but he
| was reluctant to eat some very raw tender, slender runner beans last
| week. He did and we're still here.
|
| Amazing, innit!
|
| Amazing. There is nothing better than raw young broad beans out of the
| garden with the pods still on. I also reheat chili con carne which is a week
| or so old, and has been only refrigerated. 10 minutes on 40% power in the
| micro, then a minute on ful. I also reheat the rice, which you should NEVER
| do.

Broad beans are not very closely related to French and runner ones,
and I believe do not have the same toxins.

Why shouldn't you reheat rice? I have been doing it for years.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On Wed, 1 Aug 2007 15:23:27 +0100, "Mary Fisher"
wrote:

Why has bottled water got a sell-by date on it? H&S gorn mad, I say.

Why has kaolin got a sell-by date on it when it's been in the ground for
millions of years?

I'm surprised the printed date hasn't faded. Must have been good ink
in them days.

Steve

In reply to Mary Fisher ) who wrote this in
, I, Marvo, say :

"Uncle Marvo" wrote in message
...


However, I had serious Staph poisoning once a couple of years ago
after eating a pack of T E S C O (spits) young beans with sweetcorn,

Serves you right. Moral - don't shop at T*sc*.

I don't. I had watched Supersize Me the night before and decided to change
my nasty kebab/pie/chip-eating habits and have a healthy salad and the only
place local is a mini-T E S C O. I think I probably lost at least half a
stone in one jolly evening.


Never again. Nearest I've come to thinking my number was called.
Back on the elephant's leg kebab again now. Never hurt anyone.

Never tried that.

What, never had a genuine greasy Turk doner kebab from the van, large, with
extra chili sauce and all the veg? You haven't lived :-)

"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...

In article ,
"Uncle Marvo" writes:
| In reply to Mary Fisher ) who wrote this in
| , I, Marvo, say :
|
| Spouse insists that on GQT he's heard that you must never, ever, eat
| ANY raw beans. I say it's dried red beans (who would anyway?) but he
| was reluctant to eat some very raw tender, slender runner beans last
| week. He did and we're still here.
|
| Amazing, innit!
|
| Amazing. There is nothing better than raw young broad beans out of the
| garden with the pods still on. I also reheat chili con carne which is a
week
| or so old, and has been only refrigerated. 10 minutes on 40% power in
the
| micro, then a minute on ful. I also reheat the rice, which you should
NEVER
| do.

Broad beans are not very closely related to French and runner ones,
and I believe do not have the same toxins.

I wonder about the kidney beans then? They are supposed to be "well dodgy"
if you don't soak them (which I don't cos I buy them in a tin of
chili-infested gloop).

Why shouldn't you reheat rice? I have been doing it for years.

I'm not sure, but it is the Worst Thing (TM), I was told by someone who was
I/C sandwiches for the BP garage chain. She obviously had gone on an Elfin
Safe T course or something.

There is nothing quite like a nice slab of reheated stodgy rice with a few
mushrooms stirred in, and a generous dollop of the curry sauce left over
from last night's Chicken Tikka Jalfrezi. Waste not, want not. Makes me
hungry just thinking about it.

On Aug 1, 3:32 pm, (Nick Maclaren) wrote:
In article ,"Uncle Marvo" writes:

| In reply to Mary Fisher ) who wrote this in
| , I, Marvo, say :
|
| Spouse insists that on GQT he's heard that you must never, ever, eat
| ANY raw beans. I say it's dried red beans (who would anyway?) but he
| was reluctant to eat some very raw tender, slender runner beans last
| week. He did and we're still here.
|
| Amazing, innit!

Most of the legumes express toxins that target mammals in some form or
other. But they are not very thermally stable so that cooking will
make them safe to eat.In the same vein it is absolutely astonishing
that we can eat soya beans safely given how devastating their
oestrogen mimics are to rodents.
|
| Amazing. There is nothing better than raw young broad beans out of the
| garden with the pods still on. I also reheat chili con carne which is a week
| or so old, and has been only refrigerated. 10 minutes on 40% power in the
| micro, then a minute on ful. I also reheat the rice, which you should NEVER
| do.

Broad beans are not very closely related to French and runner ones,
and I believe do not have the same toxins.

Why shouldn't you reheat rice? I have been doing it for years.

Most of the time you will get away with it, but on the occassion that
you don't it is a potentially nasty form of poisoning as B. cereus
spores can survive cooking and grow in slowly cooled rice (and it is
rather slow to cool in bulk) are the toxins are thermally stable and
not destroyed by reheating or cooking. Compared to its distant cousin
B. anthracis (Anthrax) it is quite benign. Rice cooking safety
instructions online at:

http://www.easthants.gov.uk/ehdc/foo...s/AdviceonRice

They really are not kidding. And anyway freshly cooked rice has better
texture.

Regards,
Martin Brown