# Is there any way to preserve the state of freshly-cooked french fries?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-preserve-the-state-of-freshly-cooked-french-fries/268094>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 7, 2004, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-preserve-the-state-of-freshly-cooked-french-fries/268094 "2004-10-07T21:05:54Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Incubus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c68b51/32.png) [@Incubus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Incubus)\
**Post date:** [October 7, 2004, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-preserve-the-state-of-freshly-cooked-french-fries/268094/1 "2004-10-07T21:05:54Z")

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The fate of many kinds of french fries, it seems, is to undergo some strange transmutation into a gritty substance having the taste and texture of soggy cardboard ☹ Some kinds of french fries seem particularly prone to this (In and Out Burger). Reheating them does nothing to restore either the flavor nor the texture.

What exactly is going on in the fries that takes something tasty and crispy and turns it into a soggy, bland leftover?

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**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\
**Post date:** [October 7, 2004, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-preserve-the-state-of-freshly-cooked-french-fries/268094/2 "2004-10-07T21:24:10Z")

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Are you asking because of [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=279520) thread?