Bad chop

jousze · Nov 3, 2018

Hey! Well so I usually do chop.
But lately Mambo hasn’t been eating it, and I realised that it is because the chop gets “rotten”? (Idk if it’s the right word) so of course he doesn’t eat it, and I threw everything.

I did it last week, there was apple, quinoa, carrot, carrot greens, persil, peppers, cucumber, and I think that’s all... and it was in the freezer. Any idea of what I’m doing wrong??

Jose

Laurasea · Nov 3, 2018

I buy frozen veggies and offer some each day thawed, it I buy fresh and cut it up in foot size holds and offer daily. I try and offer six kinds daily and rotating different kinds on different days. I do not do the chop to bits and freeze as it led to waste mush and the birds didn't eat. I also think whole chunks or whole leafy greens make more fun for foraging, I let them try and figure out how to eat it.

charmedbyekkie · Nov 3, 2018

Hi Jose! Do you mean the chop went bad within a few hours? I haven't done much with quinoa before, but if it's like rice, perhaps that's what's causing it to go bad within a few hours. I only add rice for dinner, then I remove it within 1-2 hours. I can't find how quickly quinoa goes bad or ferments (is that what you mean by rotten?). And fermentation loves sugar, so the apples might be helping that along. I prepare his chop and his rice separately. But that might not be relevant if quinoa doesn't react like rice.

If it's not the quinoa (which is a complete guess), I'd check into how fresh your produce is before you chop. Sometimes when the greens are a little yellow, I'll still eat it as a human, but I'd never give it to Cairo because his body is more sensitive than mine. So things like peppers, I cut the blemishes out or toss them completely (or eat them myself).

The only other thing I can think of is perhaps your washing methods for the chop? I know that was a problem for someone on the forum before.

ChristaNL · Nov 3, 2018

Did you mistake freezer (ice, everything is hard and solid) for fridge (just mildly cold, things stay mushy) ? That has happened before.

Of maybe you had a powerfailure? (the stuff will defrost in the fridge and then greeze agian -> the result can be yucky because the icecrystals will ruin any cruncyness and you'll end up with sloppy goo )
You said there was some renovation/work going on in your house, so maybe somebody unplugged it?

chris-md · Nov 3, 2018

Jose, you’re mistake is freezing apples. They do notfreeze well and turn to mush when thawed.

What I recommend is research a bit on what can be frozen and what can’t. Stuff like most fruits simply cannot be frozen from fresh product on the home. Anything that contributes lots of water will contribute to mush when thawed. Even peppers! I will freeze peppers, but I wring out my whole chop to remove excess water before putting it in the freezer bag.

Water is your enemy. Remove water where possible. Which means some stuff like fruits are added only at serving time as fresh produce.

charmedbyekkie · Nov 3, 2018

chris-md said:
Jose, you’re mistake is freezing apples. They do notfreeze well and turn to mush when thawed.

What I recommend is research a bit on what can be frozen and what can’t. Stuff like most fruits simply cannot be frozen from fresh product on the home. Anything that contributes lots of water will contribute to mush when thawed. Even peppers! I will freeze peppers, but I wring out my whole chop to remove excess water before putting it in the freezer bag.

Water is your enemy. Remove water where possible. Which means some stuff like fruits are added only at serving time as fresh produce.

TIL! The ratio of a single fruit (apple) to Cairo's veggies is about 1/12, so I hadn't experienced the mushiness. But I do remove any water when thawing, so maybe that's helped as well. And I store it high up in the chillest part of the fridge when I thaw it.

How much does it matter if the food is soft (not rotten) but a bit mushy? I've read if it's warm and mushy then it can trigger hormones. But is chilled and mushy ok?

chris-md · Nov 3, 2018

Warm mush can sometimes trigger hormones, but it’s not a guarantee. It’s highly individualized. When i say remove water, I mean two things, both of which are BEFORE you freeze:

1. Don’t add watery stuff to begin with. Don’t add stuff that shouldn’t be frozen to begin with, ie never add apples to a chop meant to be frozen
2. Wring our or otherwise drain excess water from the chop before you freeze it. M

How much does it matter? Ask your boy! If he doesn’t mind, he’ll go to town on the mushy chop. If he can’t stand it, he’ll refuse to eat.

But I personally avoid any possibility of mushy to begin with...personal preference.

jousze · Nov 3, 2018

charmedbyekkie said:
Hi Jose! Do you mean the chop went bad within a few hours? I haven't done much with quinoa before, but if it's like rice, perhaps that's what's causing it to go bad within a few hours. I only add rice for dinner, then I remove it within 1-2 hours. I can't find how quickly quinoa goes bad or ferments (is that what you mean by rotten?). And fermentation loves sugar, so the apples might be helping that along. I prepare his chop and his rice separately. But that might not be relevant if quinoa doesn't react like rice.

If it's not the quinoa (which is a complete guess), I'd check into how fresh your produce is before you chop. Sometimes when the greens are a little yellow, I'll still eat it as a human, but I'd never give it to Cairo because his body is more sensitive than mine. So things like peppers, I cut the blemishes out or toss them completely (or eat them myself).

The only other thing I can think of is perhaps your washing methods for the chop? I know that was a problem for someone on the forum before.

Everything was fresh so that’s why I don’t understand.. washing the vegetables you mean??

Jose

jousze · Nov 3, 2018

ChristaNL said:
Did you mistake freezer (ice, everything is hard and solid) for fridge (just mildly cold, things stay mushy) ? That has happened before.

Of maybe you had a powerfailure? (the stuff will defrost in the fridge and then greeze agian -> the result can be yucky because the icecrystals will ruin any cruncyness and you'll end up with sloppy goo )
You said there was some renovation/work going on in your house, so maybe somebody unplugged it?

Nono, any of those.
I’m in another house and I didn’t have any problem.. that’s why I don’t understand it.. anyways I cut it everyday for him and he prefers it now.... but it’s A LOT OF WORKK!!

Jose

jousze · Nov 3, 2018

chris-md said:
Jose, you’re mistake is freezing apples. They do notfreeze well and turn to mush when thawed.

What I recommend is research a bit on what can be frozen and what can’t. Stuff like most fruits simply cannot be frozen from fresh product on the home. Anything that contributes lots of water will contribute to mush when thawed. Even peppers! I will freeze peppers, but I wring out my whole chop to remove excess water before putting it in the freezer bag.

Water is your enemy. Remove water where possible. Which means some stuff like fruits are added only at serving time as fresh produce.

Ohhhh okay! It’s because I read a post somewhere and they were freezing apples so that’s why I did... THANK YOU!

Jose

TiredOldMan · Nov 3, 2018

After washing my produce I run it all through a salad spinner in small batches to dry.

Also the bottom of a refrigerator or freezer is the coldest point. Cold falls heat rises.

Bad chop

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