Hash Browns

Brewing and cooking have a lot in common. My process for making hash browns at home goes something like this:

-Peel a bunch of potatoes.
-Shred the peeled potatoes into a strainer.
-Place the strainer into a huge bowl and fill with water.
-Allow the potatoes to soak for a couple of hours.
-Remove the strainer and briefly rinse the potatoes.
-Dump the bowl water and put the strainer in the bowl.
-Set the bowl in the fridge and let sit overnight.
-Pan fry the potatoes in an elaborate ritual involving oil, onions, seasoned salt and pepper.

During the soak, a bunch of white powder falls through the strainer and settles at the bottom of the bowl. The brewing angle: how much of the white stuff is potato starch and how much of it is precipitated calcium carbonate from the water reaching equilibrium with atmospheric carbon dioxide? Hmmm...