No-nonsense, no-frills potato news stories from around the world
There’s no more denying it: plant-based foods are booming, and consumers are increasingly gravitating towards food that does not contain animal products, says Aviko Rixona on its website. Aware of this development, Aviko Rixona was eager to explore the potential of extracting even more added value from potatoes. The company is now the first in the market to launch Potato Cheezz: cheese made from potatoes.
The Princesa Amandine potato has been awarded the ‘Flavor of the Year’ for the second year in a row – a distinction given by consumers in blind testing carried out by independent sensory laboratories. “Obtaining the Flavor of the Year award for the second consecutive year is a confirmation that our Princesa Amandine potato’s fine, rich, and creamy flavor have won over Spanish consumers,” said Jean Michel Beranger, Managing Director of the Princesa Amandine Iberian Association.
In 2020, HZPC Americas launched the multi-year project ‘Potato Glory’ together with the University of Massachusetts Dining Program (UMass) for the purpose of conducting research and to provide students and employees with information on potatoes. This kills two birds with one stone: UMass learns more about potatoes, and HZPC gains more insight into opinions and behaviour in relation to potato consumption.
Veg of Lund, parent company of Sweden’s DUG that is the maker of DUG potato milk, announced last week that the European Patent Office notified its intent to approve the company’s vegan potato emulsion patent. Veg of Lund’s says its comprehensive patent portfolio creates the conditions for the company to develop more product categories within new plant-based foods, such as ice cream and cream products as well as alternatives to red and white meat.
A recent study of 1,500 patrons (consumers who eat out at restaurants) identified habits and opinions of restaurant patrons related to potatoes. An astounding 53% of consumers surveyed said they are willing to pay an average of $5.20 more for a main dish with potatoes than without them, regardless of the format. Over half of the patrons surveyed (60%) expect to see potatoes on menus, second only to beef.
The Simple Root has announced the launch of a range of “naturally creamy” plant-based cheese alternatives for the UK market, made from potatoes and root vegetables, as Grace Duncan reports for The Grocer. The brand said it had created a new technique for its manufacture, which made the cheese alternatives less oily than many other vegan cheeses in the market.
Today Lamb Weston / Meijer released its Sustainability Report 2021-2022. The company says it made good progress on the three key challenges through which it believes it can make the greatest contribution, as it strives to achieve its sustainability agenda and create positive impact from potato to plate.
An Australia-wide shortage has led some cafés and restaurants to temporarily substitute frozen potato chips [fries] with sweet potato, or take it off the menu altogether, while one major supermarket has introduced limits on the number of bags customers can buy, as Amy Hall reports for SBS News.
The top product quality challenge facing fresh-cut potato processors is enzymatic browning and a common browning preventative – sulfites – can trigger an allergic reaction in some people. Using sulfites can also trigger FDA-mandated labeling. Now there’s a sulfite-free fix by Syracuse based Hennessy Food.
You’re familiar with whey, pea, and soy, but potato protein? It might not be just a fad, writes Julia Savacool in a news story published by Yahoo!life. According to Savacool, a new study in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise finds that consuming protein extracted from potatoes has the same benefits for helping your body rebound after a workout as consuming milk protein.
Avebe showcased a clean label, plant-based alternative to Parmesan cheese based on potato ingredients at the Food ingredients Europe (FiE) trade show in Paris, France in December 2022. The Dutch starch manufacturer continues to focus its expertise on the burgeoning dairy-alternative cheese market with this latest innovation.
Dear folks. I want to wish each and all of our readers a very happy 2023! Potato News Today registered a little over 12,000 visitors each month during the past year, and we surely appreciate all of you from well over 140 countries for stopping in and spending some of your time here with us – thank you so much… We will continue reporting important potato news stories as best we can in 2023, and we hope you will visit us whenever you can! With kindest wishes, Lukie. www.potatonewstoday.com
Let’s start the new year off talking about one of the sometimes-unsung superstars of the produce department: ‘the potato’, writes Brian Dey in this news story published by The Packer. Potatoes are a nutritional powerhouse, not to mention super tasty when prepared a multitude of ways. They’re great as a main course, side dish or snack. Brian Dey suggests three short tips on how retailers can maximize their potato sales and profits.
What does a perfect snack do? It crunches! The “crunch” factor was on top as an important component of the perfect snack in the latest Frito-Lay U.S. Trend Index. The index polled consumers on their snacking preferences and found that more than 70 percent of snackers would reach for a food with a crunch when considering their perfect snack. The Snack Index found other important snack factors included sweet (66%), salty (61%) and filling (53%).
How do you get a country to change its national diet? That’s what China has been trying by introducing potato as a staple as part of an effort to improve food security. In this episode of The Conversation Weekly, the presenters of the podcast talk to three experts about why countries need to shift what their citizens eat, and what the optimum diet for our planet might be. A prime example is China, where the government introduced a policy to promote the potato as the country’s fourth staple alongside rice, wheat and maize.
Scientists claim a potentially “powerful” treatment for cancer might lie in potatoes, according to new research published Wednesday. Academic researchers from Poland report that glycoalkaloids — naturally occurring chemicals found in potatoes — have some cancer-fighting properties and could also help patients with the devastating side effects of treatments. The correct dose can turn a poison into a medicine: once scientists have found a safe therapeutic dose for alkaloids, they can be powerful clinical tools.
The rising price of groceries is the leading obstacle for shoppers globally1. As consumers look for ways to contend with the prices, Side Delights suggests the emerging trend of upcycling of waste or unwanted products as an economical and sustainable solution. Potato peels, pulp, and other potato parts can be upcycled by consumers at home.
Potatoes have developed a reputation for causing weight gain and an increased risk for type 2 diabetes, and often find themselves on a list of foods to avoid, especially for individuals with insulin resistance. However, a new study from Pennington Biomedical Research Center at Louisiana State University (LSU) says that potatoes actually did not increase that risk. Individuals who participated in the study actually lost weight.
Nourish Food Marketing, in partnership with Kahntact have released their 7th annual Trend Report. The 2023 Report provides insight into nine key trends that will shape and transform the food and agricultural world in 2023 and beyond, from ‘un-ignorable’ issues like climate change to the historic highs of food inflation, ‘female food’, and the future of eco-conscious agriculture.
A growing number of residents of Yanggang Province – North Korea’s chief potato-growing region – are roaming around cities to collect potato peels, Daily NK has learned. A source told Daily NK people suffering from food shortages are collecting the potato peels to “make up for their winter food shortfalls.” In Yanggang Province, people have traditionally turned potato peels into feed for animals such as dogs and pigs. This year, however, people are gradually turning to potato peels for human consumption.
Strong demand and higher pricing characterized the potato market in early November, and tight market conditions are expected to continue through the holidays, as Tom Karst reports for The Packer magazine. Lower acreage for fresh market potatoes in Idaho this year, combined with active demand from frozen potato processors, have contributed to higher pricing for this year’s crop. Elevated pricing at both the farm level and at retail are expected in a short crop year.
Northern Ireland’s potato lovers can look forward to an ongoing treat over the coming months, such is the quality of the 2022 harvest. Wilson’s Country managing director Lewis Cunningham said “the eating quality of the potato is fantastic and we can all look forward to enjoying floury potatoes with exceptional taste and flavour over the coming months.” Kyle Greer, the Executive Chef at Belfast’s Europa Hotel, agreed.
Australian grocer Woolworths Group said heavy rain may keep squeezing supply of farm-based staples, including potato chips, as soaring shelf prices contributed to a decline in first-quarter food sales, according to a report by European Supermarket Magazine.
The good news is that a new study has found that potatoes might be healthier than we thought. A study conducted by researchers at Boston University found that participants who ate fried potato dishes had a lower risk of dealing with various health issues if they weren’t as likely to eat red meat or were physically active.
McCain Foods is entering the Metaverse and introducing new ‘Regen Fries’ as part of the #SaveOurSoil initiative. Regen Fries are made with potatoes that are grown using regenerative farming methods which build soil health, improve biodiversity, and enhance on-farm resilience to climate change. McCain has committed to reimagining ways to grow potatoes that are ‘beneficial for both the planet and the communities in which it operates’.
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