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Potatoes

The potato (Solanum tuberosum) is a tuber that forms as the swollen end of an underground stem. Its skin varies in color from light brown to purple and the inside flesh varies from white to purple in different varieties. The buds of unformed leaves are the "eyes" of the potato. By planting chunks of the potato containing these eyes, genetically identical potato plants are grown.

Consumption

The average American eats about 140.6 pounds of potatoes each year. That average diet is broken into the following proportions.

  • 49.8 pounds fresh potatoes
  • 58.8 pounds frozen - french fries, hash browns, etc.
  • 16.9 pounds potato chips
  • 13.4 pounds dehydrated - mashed potato flakes, au gratin mixes, etc.
  • 1.7 pounds canned

More than a billion people worldwide eat potatoes. The crop represents an important part of the diet of more than half a billion consumers in developing countries. Although European per capita consumption has declined over the past three decades, Europe is still the largest per capita consumer, followed by North America and Latin America.

Nutrition

One serving of potato (one medium potato, about 5.5 ounces) has about 120 calories. A single medium-sized potato contains about half the daily adult requirement of vitamin C. Potato is very low in fat, with just five percent of the fat content of wheat, and one-fourth the calories of bread. Boiled, it has more protein than maize, and nearly twice the calcium.

Purchase and Preparation

  • Don't buy potatoes that are soft or that have excessive cuts, cracks, bruises, discoloration or decay. Also, avoid green potatoes; they have been exposed to light which means they are coming out of dormancy. If you buy green potatoes, simply pare away the green portion, which sometimes can be bitter.
  • Store potatoes in a cool, dark place. They store very well at about 50 degrees but they should not be refrigerated because temperatures cooler than 45 converts potato starch to sugar, which changes the taste and causes the potatoes to darken when they're fried.
  • Cook with the skin on whenever possible to preserve all of the potato's nutrition.

History

Potato originated in the highlands of South America, where it has been consumed for more than 8000 years. Spanish explorers brought the plant to Europe in the late 16th century as a botanical curiosity. By the 19th century it had spread throughout the continent, providing cheap and abundant food for the workers of the Industrial Revolution.

Global Production

Today, potato is the fourth most important food crop in the world, with annual production approaching 300 million tons. More than one-third of the global potato output now comes from developing countries, up from just 11 percent in the early 1960s.

Massachusetts Production

Bay State farmers produced more than 68 million pounds of potatoes in 1998 on nearly 3,000 acres. The crop is valued at $4.2 million. Many local growers are producing new and unusual varieties including colorful red, blue and yellow potatoes as well as fingerling shaped potatoes.

Sources: United States Department of Agriculture, New England Agricultural Statistics Service and Idaho Potato Commission. Compiled by the New England Vegetable and Berry Growers Association and the Massachusetts Department of Food and Agriculture.

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