Placing peeled potatoes in ice water before cooking keeps them from becoming dark. Why is that ?

Question

Placing peeled potatoes in ice water before cooking keeps them from becoming dark. Why is that ?

Answer 1

Just like your lemon juice question, it prevents oxidation (because the water prevents the potatoes from contacting the oxygen in the air)

Answer 2

It is the browning of the potatoes that is caused by enzymes known as polyphenolase/polyphenoloxidases. In the presence of oxygen, the enzyme catalyzes the oxidation of polyphenols in the potato and the product is brown...Ice water is of low temperature, thus slowing down the enzymatic activity by a lot --> there is almost no enzymatic activity...

Answer 3

bacause you soaked it in water then you minimize its chance to have contact with oxygen, when that happens enzymatic browning would not occur.