THE OFFP Tests: Poutine -- What Québec does to French Fries

THE OFFP Tests:
Poutine
What Québec does to French Fries (part 1)

Date of Experiment: 27 February 1996

Laboratory Equipment: none

Experiment Supplies:

Serge Henri Grain Fromage Cheddar
(Cheddar Cheese curds)

Fig. 1: The Select Ware Laboratories:
Culinary and Food Technology Division

Purpose:

The purpose of this experiment is to test the edibility of the Cheese Curds in order to carry out later exeriments to prepare, test and taste Poutine, a culinary specialty of Québec, Canada. Cheese Curds are a perishable product and were delivered to the Select Ware Laboratories without adequate refrigeration. The delivery time was 8 days.

Method:

The tester was prepared prior to the actual Experiment by the oral introduction (and subsequent absorption) of CH₃CH₂OH into the tester's circulatory system. This compound has multiple effects, including a lessening of aprehension and an impatience which leads to an increase in desire to proceeed with experiments. An unfortunate side effect is a subject's loss of coordination at the higher blood concentration levels (approximately ¹/₄ of 1%) neceessary to induce the desired effects. A balance of the desired and undesired effects was acheived and the experiment proceeded.

At approximately 01:58 the experiment was carried out. The bag of Cheese Curds was removed from the cold storage facilities of the Select Ware Laboratories, Culinary and Food Technology Division, where it was kept in the White Westinghouse Model RT153M refrigeration unit at a semi-constant temperature of 38°F/3°C.

The package was opened and a single large curd was removed. The tester made a careful visual and olfactory inspection of the curd before ingesting it. As the curd was introduced orally, the tester further inspected the taste and flavours before and after mastication.

The sample was swallowed after this evaluation, completing the initial stage of the Experiment.

The tester was observed for the next 16 hours and no adverse effects, especially with consideration for the gastrointestinal system, were observed, thus completing the Experiment successfully.

Conclusions

It was concluded that the Cheese Curds, which had been unrefrigerated during the eight-day transit period, remained edible and would be safe to use in order to make poutine.

Contingency plans were made in the event of Poutine inedibility due to the dish itself, the condition of the Cheese Curds and any other unforeseen possibilities.

Fig. 2: Antidotal remedies for potential effects of soured Cheese Curd ingestion.