Waste not: Potatoes South Australia partners with researchers to produce vodka from potato skins

The transformation of food waste with limited value to a premium product with high value is on the agenda through a project being undertaken by Potatoes South Australia, the University of Adelaide and Adelaide Hills Distillery. While potatoes are traditionally used to make vodka in many parts of the world, these three organisations are partnering to look into the feasibility of making vodka from potato skins – helping to increase returns for growers on what would otherwise be waste product. The University of Adelaide is undertaking research into the most effective technique to create vodka from peel, taking advantage of its extensive capabilities in analytical chemistry, wine science and sensory science, and starch profiling. This is being paired with the expertise of Adelaide Hills Distillery to turn it into beverage spirit. To read more about this project and the new value-adding opportunities it’s uncovering for potatoes, have a look at the February/March 2018 edition of Potatoes Australia magazine (page 18 of the online version). This article appeared in the AUSVEG Weekly Update published 20 March 2018.