The wonder potato

[Fab Foodie]

Does anybody know if carrying cooked potato around on a warm day would be as unwise as it is with rice?

It's probably not advisable with either unless you can keep them above 72C.
The Rice thing and reheating is a particular case however, due to Rice carrying a spore-forming bacterium call Bacillus cereus. The Spores can survive the initial cooking process (even boiling) and will remain dormant. If the rice is rapidly cooled and then properly reheated (and held hot) there is no issue. However, if after the initial cooking it is held either at lukewarm temperatures, it will grow and produce a heat-stable toxin in the food which is the cause of warmed-rice related food poisoning.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacillus_cereus

 

[winjim]

Oh no probs, I thought you had read-it! Good luck with the Biochem revision, it was my degree a long long time ago!

I read enough of it to make the point I was making last night, but not all of it.
Exam's over now so I might read it properly later for some light relief. I think the ratio was about 50:50 potato to water to get the right consistency so a lot of it the bulk is just water.

 

[Fab Foodie]

I read enough of it to make the point I was making last night, but not all of it.
Exam's over now so I might read it properly later for some light relief. I think the ratio was about 50:50 potato to water to get the right consistency so a lot of it the bulk is just water.

Which makes sense. Hope the exam went well. I don't think I could fill in the details at the top of the paper correctly now....

 

[winjim]

Which makes sense. Hope the exam went well. I don't think I could fill in the details at the top of the paper correctly now....

It was just core biochemistry, mainly multiple choice. One to get out of the way before we start the tricky stuff. I definitely passed.

 

[johnblack]

A few years ago my mates were out for a group ride with an F1 driver and he had a pocket full of new potatoes.

 

[Threevok]

I did a potato diet in the summer

One of the instructions was "no excessive exercise" as you would not have the energy levels to cope

To be honest, I didn't notice any drop in energy levels

Drove me mad though

 

[Smudge]

I'll stick with 'Blue Rat' energy drink.....
It has 'All the energy of a rat trapped in a can'

 

[Deafie]

It's probably not advisable with either unless you can keep them above 72C.
The Rice thing and reheating is a particular case however, due to Rice carrying a spore-forming bacterium call Bacillus cereus. The Spores can survive the initial cooking process (even boiling) and will remain dormant. If the rice is rapidly cooled and then properly reheated (and held hot) there is no issue. However, if after the initial cooking it is held either at lukewarm temperatures, it will grow and produce a heat-stable toxin in the food which is the cause of warmed-rice related food poisoning.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacillus_cereus

Good to know, thanks

 

[winjim]

It's probably not advisable with either unless you can keep them above 72C.
The Rice thing and reheating is a particular case however, due to Rice carrying a spore-forming bacterium call Bacillus cereus. The Spores can survive the initial cooking process (even boiling) and will remain dormant. If the rice is rapidly cooled and then properly reheated (and held hot) there is no issue. However, if after the initial cooking it is held either at lukewarm temperatures, it will grow and produce a heat-stable toxin in the food which is the cause of warmed-rice related food poisoning.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacillus_cereus

You cannot B. cereus.

 

[Fab Foodie]

You cannot B. cereus.

They told us that one in 1982!

 

[winjim]

They told us that one in 1982!

Oh, I never claimed to be original.

 

[bridgy]

This is a vaguely interesting but ultimately pretty pointless study imo.

Potatoes are a good source of carbohydrate so its not surprising they gave similar performance results as gels really, but the whole point of energy gels for cyclists is to have a relatively lightweight, concentrated, easily digested source of carbohydrate energy to consume on the move. The participants in the study consumed half a kilo of potatoes over 2 hours vs 92g of gels, and those having potatoes had increased "abdominal pain, bloating and discomfort" vs those taking gels.

Imagine gels didn't currently exist and the best option we had was to lug half a kilo or more of potato puree around and suffer the associated stomach pain in order to maximise performance. And then this study comes out saying you can get the same energy/performance benefit from a few gels for a fraction of the weight/space, with fewer stomach issues - why on earth would you stick with the potatoes (unless cost rather than performance was your main motivation)?

 

[Tenkaykev]

I participated in the Comrades Marathon in 2012. Towards the end of the run there was an aid station with water and a big pile of Jacket spuds, halved and dipped in salt. It were proper luxury so I had two! they hit the spot and I powered onwards, floating like a Gazelle towards the finish, I entered the Stadium to roars of approval from the throng of spectators*

* This might not actually have been what happened, in reality I staggered on towards the finish in Durban, and the "roars of approval" might have been murmurs of "Crikey, look at the state of him, poor sod"