Potatoes And Its Effects: Mealy Vs Waxy

Wagner83

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After having been doing a lot better thanks to finding delicious waxy potatoes I feel like serotonin symptoms are back to square one, I had to change potatoes variety and the difference is (unfortunately) remarkable. A couple of other things could be blamed though, but since most potatoes give me instant stomach pain I decided to start this thread so people can share their experience with potatoes varieties, how to identify waxy ones etc..

Here is a paper on the matter:
https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&r...sg=AFQjCNGCA2E8WEzGVucibi53_LWDs8lV8A&cad=rja
Let’s start by defining what we mean by waxy and mealy potatoes. According to
Professor Diane McComber (Iowa State University, retired; J. Food Sci. 1988,
53: 1423-1426) sensory panelists describe cooked waxy potatoes as moist,
mushy, and smooth, while cooked mealy potatoes are harder, drier, and produce
a sensation of particulate matter in the mouth. Waxy potatoes tend to have a thin
skin, are less dense, and contain lower levels of starch
(about 16% on a wet
weight basis) and higher moisture. Mealy potatoes tend to have thicker skins, are
denser, and contain more starch (about 22% on a wet weight basis) and less
moisture. On a molecular level, the starch in waxy potatoes is composed almost
entirely of the large branched molecule called amylopectin, while the starch in
mealy potatoes is composed of a mixture of amylopectin (about 74%), and the
much smaller linear amylose molecule (about 26%).
Both amylopectin and
amylose are polysaccharides, which function as storage forms of glucose.
Further research by Professor McComber (J. Agric. Food Chem. 1994, 42: 2433-
2439) showed that when high-starch Russet Burbank potatoes were cooked
(steamed) the potato cells became “completely engorged with gelatinized starch”,
in contrast to two varieties of low-starch waxy potatoes (Pontiac and LaSoda),
which appeared to be “only 30-50% filled” with swollen starch granules. Using
nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) the higher level of starch
granules in Russet Burbank potatoes were observed to absorb more moisture
while less of the moisture in the lower-starch waxy potatoes was absorbed by the
swollen starch granules leaving more free moisture. This explains why mealy
potatoes are perceived as dry while waxy potatoes are characterized as moist.
On eating, the waxy potatoes release the loosely held water that is not bound up
by the lower level of gelatinized starch.
Interestingly, Professor McComber’s research showed in both the waxy and
mealy varieties the cells of steamed potatoes were intact and not collapsed when
visualized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Her research also showed
that calcium and magnesium ion concentrations were higher in Russet Burbank
potatoes than they were in the Pontiac variety of waxy potatoes. Calcium and
magnesium ions are known to strengthen pectin, the polysaccharide that is part
of the cell wall structure, and more importantly, acts as a glue to hold the cells
together. These observations led Professor McComber to agree with earlier
research (Am. Potato J. 1980 57: 141-149), which concluded that the cells of
steamed mealy potatoes resist separation into individual cells, but break “into
particulate masses” producing a texture that is less smooth than waxy potatoes.
[...]
These researchers found that more pectin was released when
mealy potatoes were boiled compared with waxy potatoes. Furthermore, these
researchers concluded from transmission electron microscopy (TEM) the release
of more pectin from the cooked mealy variety of potatoes resulted in cell wall
loosening and increased cell sloughing (most likely clumps of cells as suggested
by McComber) compared with waxy potatoes.

Wikipedia entry: Waxy potato starch - Wikipedia
Through traditional breeding techniques an amylose-free mutant was obtained without genetic manipulation. Since 2005 the first natural potato variety Eliane is being cultivated and marketed by the starch company AVEBE.
 

Milena

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I always loved waxy potatoes as a child. Peeled and boiled, they had a lovely smooth texture when whole and hot and one like edam when cold. I rarely find potatoes like that nowadays.
 
O

oldfriend

Guest
Bump. Anybody have tips for finding good waxy potatoes?
 
L

lollipop

Guest
Bump. Anybody have tips for finding good waxy potatoes?
From what I understand red potatoes and Yukon gold potatoes might be in this category. I could be wrong here. Please feel free to correct me :):
 

lvysaur

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reds are waxy amylopectin potatoes

russets are mealy amylose potatoes

yukon golds are in the middle


Same with rice: sticky is amylopectin, basmati is amylose, and jasmine is in the middle.
 

TripleOG

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Switched from russet to red potatoes thanks to this thread and another by Westside PUFA. Noticeable difference. Same with sticky rice. Thanks!
 

squanch

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Do they not put the type on the package in other countries?
In Germany it's "festkochend" (waxy), "vorwiegend festkochend (predominantly waxy), "mehlig" (mealy)
  • "festkochend" (waxy) is to hard for me, even if you chew them a long time you still have those little pieces of potato in your mouth. Same with certain types of rice like basmati. It tends to not digest very well because of this.
  • "mehlig" (mealy) just fall apart completely after 15 min of cooking. Can't boil them in the skin, limited use in other recipes. Digests well for me personally though.
  • "vorwiegend festkochend" (predominantly waxy) are my personal favorite. Best allround potato, digests well for me personally.
Laura, Agria, Marabel, Gala, Solist are all common types of "vorwiegend festkochend" here.
"Jelly" is my favorite, such a great texture. Not that common unfortunately.
 
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Wagner83

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In my case they put texture on the package but it's not accurate at all (90% of the time).
 

DaveFoster

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reds are waxy amylopectin potatoes

russets are mealy amylose potatoes

yukon golds are in the middle


Same with rice: sticky is amylopectin, basmati is amylose, and jasmine is in the middle.
Do you notice better digestion with the reds?
 

lvysaur

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Do you notice better digestion with the reds?

Couldn't tell you because reds are the only kind I eat.

For the rice, basmati and jasmine give me no problems. Sticky rice makes me feel weird afterwards, almost like I didn't eat anything.
 

Amazoniac

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Encyclopedia of Plant Physiology - Vol VI:
Formation, Storage, Mobilization, and Transformation of Carbohydrates
(opened through Google Books)
"Iodine stain. Amylose stains an intense blue with iodine, the amylopectin stain is weaker and is reddish-purple."
"Amylopectin binds much less iodine than amylose"

All Potatoes Are Not Created Equal [VIDEO] | The Feed

The varieties that have higher glycemic impact will be the ones that are more waxy. The greater Such's disapproval towards the variety, the less fermentable it tends to be.
 

Amazoniac

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14.7: Polysaccharides

"Experimental evidence indicates that amylose is not a straight chain of glucose units but instead is coiled like a spring, with six glucose monomers per turn (part (b) of Figure 16.7.1" role="presentation">16.7.1). When coiled in this fashion, amylose has just enough room in its core to accommodate an iodine molecule. The characteristic blue-violet color that appears when starch is treated with iodine is due to the formation of the amylose-iodine complex. This color test is sensitive enough to detect even minute amounts of starch in solution."

"Amylopectin is a branched-chain polysaccharide composed of glucose units linked primarily by α-1,4-glycosidic bonds but with occasional α-1,6-glycosidic bonds, which are responsible for the branching. A molecule of amylopectin may contain many thousands of glucose units with branch points occurring about every 25–30 units (Figure 16.7.2" role="presentation">16.7.2). The helical structure of amylopectin is disrupted by the branching of the chain, so instead of the deep blue-violet color amylose gives with iodine, amylopectin produces a less intense reddish brown."

As the name implies, when cooked, the amylopectin portion makes the wasser gooey and so bubbles start forming and vapor can't escape. Starches that have more of these branched carbs and less amylose tend to be those that make the liquid boil owaa the pan. Rices are usually rinsed, so this problem is minimized, but it seems wrong to do the same with potatoes. Cooking them along with apples usually corrects this problem.
Effects of malic acid and citric acid on the functional properties of native and cross‐linked wheat starches

--
Starch Characteristics of Modern and Heirloom Potato Cultivars

"Starch quality is important to the potato industry in at least three ways. First, glycemic index is reduced in clones that produce starch with a high proportion of amylose. Second, texture and cooking requirements are affected by starch properties (Briant et al. 1945). And, finally, the production of starch for industrial uses requires specific parameters with respect to biochemical components."

"Higher amylose starch is desirable in affluent countries due to its low glycemic index and high fiber content (Holt and Miller 1995; Behall and Hallfrisch 2002). Glycemic index values allow comparisons of foods for their ability to induce a blood glucose response."

"The glycemic index of potato tubers is moderate to high across cooking methods and cultivars (Soh and Brand-Miller 1999; Fernandes et al. 2005). Increasing the amylose content has the potential to decrease glycemic index (Camire et al. 2009). Because amylose is digested more slowly than amylopectin, blood glucose concentrations and insulin levels are lower after a meal high in amylose, and satiety is maintained longer (Behall et al. 1989; Holt and Miller 1995). Human diets with starch containing more than 50 % amylose showed a significant decrease in plasma glucose and insulin (Behall and Hallfrisch 2002)."

"Mealiness in cooked potatoes is associated with starch granule size (McComber et al. 1994; Briant et al. 1945). Starch swells when it gelatinizes during cooking. In cells containing large starch granules, the gelatinized starch completely engorges the cells of cooked tissue and retains most of the free water. In contrast, gelatinization of starch in cells with small granules leaves an abundance of free water in the cells. Consequently, cooked tubers from cultivars with large starch granules are expected to be perceived as dry and mealy, while those with small starch granules are moist and waxy."

"Unlike other processing traits in potato, the starch properties measured in this study appear to be remarkably consistent across environments. An analysis of variance revealed that neither environment, nor any of the components of environment, namely, year, storage or the year by storage interaction, had a significant effect on percent amylose in tuber starch"
 
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Kartoffel

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I don't tolerate very waxy potatoes. A potato needs to start falling apart after about 1h of cooking, otherwise it's very likely that the variety contains a lot of indigestible fiber. The best potato that causes no digestive issues for me even when I eat more than 1kg per day is an old Scottish, violet variety called Arran Victory. Other nice varieties are Robinta and Karlena.
 
L

lollipop

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14.7: Polysaccharides

"Experimental evidence indicates that amylose is not a straight chain of glucose units but instead is coiled like a spring, with six glucose monomers per turn (part (b) of Figure 16.7.1" role="presentation">16.7.1). When coiled in this fashion, amylose has just enough room in its core to accommodate an iodine molecule. The characteristic blue-violet color that appears when starch is treated with iodine is due to the formation of the amylose-iodine complex. This color test is sensitive enough to detect even minute amounts of starch in solution."

"Amylopectin is a branched-chain polysaccharide composed of glucose units linked primarily by α-1,4-glycosidic bonds but with occasional α-1,6-glycosidic bonds, which are responsible for the branching. A molecule of amylopectin may contain many thousands of glucose units with branch points occurring about every 25–30 units (Figure 16.7.2" role="presentation">16.7.2). The helical structure of amylopectin is disrupted by the branching of the chain, so instead of the deep blue-violet color amylose gives with iodine, amylopectin produces a less intense reddish brown."

As the name implies, when cooked, the amylopectin portion makes the wasser gooey and so bubbles start forming and vapor can't escape. Starches that have more of these branched carbs and less amylose tend to be those that make the liquid boil owaa the pan. Rices are usually rinsed, so this problem is minimized, but it seems wrong to do the same with potatoes. Cooking them along with apples usually corrects this problem.
Effects of malic acid and citric acid on the functional properties of native and cross‐linked wheat starches

--
Starch Characteristics of Modern and Heirloom Potato Cultivars

"Starch quality is important to the potato industry in at least three ways. First, glycemic index is reduced in clones that produce starch with a high proportion of amylose. Second, texture and cooking requirements are affected by starch properties (Briant et al. 1945). And, finally, the production of starch for industrial uses requires specific parameters with respect to biochemical components."

"Higher amylose starch is desirable in affluent countries due to its low glycemic index and high fiber content (Holt and Miller 1995; Behall and Hallfrisch 2002). Glycemic index values allow comparisons of foods for their ability to induce a blood glucose response."

"The glycemic index of potato tubers is moderate to high across cooking methods and cultivars (Soh and Brand-Miller 1999; Fernandes et al. 2005). Increasing the amylose content has the potential to decrease glycemic index (Camire et al. 2009). Because amylose is digested more slowly than amylopectin, blood glucose concentrations and insulin levels are lower after a meal high in amylose, and satiety is maintained longer (Behall et al. 1989; Holt and Miller 1995). Human diets with starch containing more than 50 % amylose showed a significant decrease in plasma glucose and insulin (Behall and Hallfrisch 2002)."

"Mealiness in cooked potatoes is associated with starch granule size (McComber et al. 1994; Briant et al. 1945). Starch swells when it gelatinizes during cooking. In cells containing large starch granules, the gelatinized starch completely engorges the cells of cooked tissue and retains most of the free water. In contrast, gelatinization of starch in cells with small granules leaves an abundance of free water in the cells. Consequently, cooked tubers from cultivars with large starch granules are expected to be perceived as dry and mealy, while those with small starch granules are moist and waxy."

"Unlike other processing traits in potato, the starch properties measured in this study appear to be remarkably consistent across environments. An analysis of variance revealed that neither environment, nor any of the components of environment, namely, year, storage or the year by storage interaction, had a significant effect on percent amylose in tuber starch"
Interesting post @Amazoniac. Thank you.
 

EIRE24

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Couldn't tell you because reds are the only kind I eat.

For the rice, basmati and jasmine give me no problems. Sticky rice makes me feel weird afterwards, almost like I didn't eat anything.
I get this feeling also from sticky rice. Most rice agrees with me but like you I stick to Jasmine and Basmati. Used to eat loads of potatoes but recently took them out of my diet to see if digestion improves.
 

EIRE24

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I don't tolerate very waxy potatoes. A potato needs to start falling apart after about 1h of cooking, otherwise it's very likely that the variety contains a lot of indigestible fiber. The best potato that causes no digestive issues for me even when I eat more than 1kg per day is an old Scottish, violet variety called Arran Victory. Other nice varieties are Robinta and Karlena.
I always thought waxy potatoes were best? I'm Irish and love potatoes!
 

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