Milk industry on the horns of a dilemma.
Sprouts a growing problem
For all you lockdown potato hoarders: Are sprouting potatoes still good to eat? The sprouts themselves shouldn't be eaten, as they contain high concentrations of the toxins solanine and chaconine. These toxins, called glycoalkaloids, can cause headaches, vomiting, and digestive issues when consumed in high quantities.
Dr. Rich Novy, a geneticist from the USDA Agricultural Research Service, told Best Food Facts that potatoes that have sprouted are fine to eat in most cases. The biggest chemical change that takes place when a potato sprouts is the conversion of starches to sugars to feed the growing buds. If a potato still feels firm after the sprouts have been removed, it has most of its nutrients and can be salvaged. But if it feels soft and wrinkly, it's gone bad and should be tossed out.
The Big Bang Theory
"I grew up on a farm in Tokoroa in the 40s and 50s where we used sodium chlorate to kill ragwort," writes Kevin West, of Forrest Hill. "My father told us about how explosive a mixture of sodium and sugar was by telling how he drilled a hole in a tree, added the mix with a fuse and the resulting blast felled the tree. To get our attention he related how a farm worker was tamping the mix in a drill hole when it exploded and killed him. One day when he was out we did a sodium and sugar mix, placed it on a newspaper, lit the paper and ran. A great flame erupted and we could keep it going by adding sugar. Don't think he ever found out."
