Does Using a Potato as a Battery Affect Its Nutritional Value?

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    Battery potato
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SUMMARY

Using a potato as a battery by inserting copper and nickel rods can lead to the leaching of metals into the potato, potentially affecting its nutritional value. The presence of trace metals, such as copper, can pose health risks if consumed in excess, particularly when combined with acidic foods. Long-term exposure to high levels of copper and other trace elements can result in toxicity. Therefore, while the electrical current itself does not harm the potato, the introduction of metals does have negative implications for its safety and edibility.

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  • Understanding of electrochemistry principles, particularly regarding galvanic cells.
  • Knowledge of food chemistry, especially the effects of metal ions on food safety.
  • Familiarity with nutritional guidelines, including Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) for trace elements.
  • Awareness of the risks associated with cooking and serving food in unlined copper cookware.
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  • Research the effects of metal leaching from cookware, focusing on copper and acidic foods.
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Frenemy90210
If a potato ( or any other food, for that matter) is used as a battery by say, simply inserting two different metal pins in it and connecting it to a load, then does it reduce the nutritional value of potato ? or does it affect the potato negatively in any way ?
 
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If you connected say a copper and nickel rod into a potato and then allowed a current to pass, I would certainly expect to find copper and nickel salts in the potato.
I wouldn't find that especially appetizing.
It you used lead, that would be much worse.
 
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Frenemy90210 said:
Does it affect the potato negatively in any way

As @.Scott said they wouldn't make for the best dinner after putting metals in them. Then again it would depend how long metals would be in the said food. I know that if you would stick copper into fruit with low pH like lemons, you're asking for trouble.
 
More generally, the addition of trace element metals to foods can cause problems. Median copper intake in the US 1. - 1.6mg/day. The RDA for Cu is 900μg (0.9mg). Which means most of us already get more than enough copper.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK222312/

If you cook with copper pots or prepare acidic foods or serve them in copper, copper leaches into food. Way more than is required.
Long term consequences are nasty.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copper_toxicity

Zinc and other trace element metals have similar issues when ingested at high levels, not to mention non-required elements like lead.
 
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jim mcnamara said:
f you cook with copper pots or prepare acidic foods or serve them in copper, copper leaches into food.

Most copper cookware is lined with something less reactive to prevent this.

And it wouldn't be a potato battery thread without saying "The cake is a lie!"
 
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Lining, yes. Not always. FWIW: You can legally buy "decorative" copper mixing bowls that are not lined. At all.
This is an interesting item talking partially about using unlined copper in cooking: http://www.highya.com/articles-guides/copper-cookware-how-to-use-cook-and-care-for-copper-pots-and-pans. I did not know that you need to "season" lined copper cookware.
 
jim mcnamara said:
Lining, yes. Not always. FWIW: You can legally buy "decorative" copper mixing bowls that are not lined. At all.
This is an interesting item talking partially about using unlined copper in cooking: http://www.highya.com/articles-guides/copper-cookware-how-to-use-cook-and-care-for-copper-pots-and-pans. I did not know that you need to "season" lined copper cookware.
I've got some more related info here - https://nutrisbook.com/zyalix/
 
Would the electricity alone affect the potato?
 
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jim mcnamara said:
Lining, yes. Not always. FWIW: You can legally buy "decorative" copper mixing bowls that are not lined. At all.
This is an interesting item talking partially about using unlined copper in cooking: http://www.highya.com/articles-guides/copper-cookware-how-to-use-cook-and-care-for-copper-pots-and-pans. I did not know that you need to "season" lined copper cookware.

These people seem to be living in order to eat... I prefer the opposite.
 

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