They can be boiled, fried, deep-fried or used for technical exploitation purposes - potatoes.
In the Andes of South America, the potato has been cultivated for centuries. It was not until around 1565 that the Spanish conquistadors brought the potato to Europe. At that time, the Spanish King Philip II had no idea of the importance that the tubers he held in his hands would later acquire. He gave the tubers to his botanists and later admired the magnificent flowers of the potato plant. He then gave a specimen to the Pope in Rome. Slowly, the potato spread to mainland Europe, but at first only in botanical gardens. It took a few generations for the potato to become a major food source for the European population. In their study "The Potato's Contribution to Population and Urbanization" (2009), the two economists Nathan Nunn and Nancy Qian show that probably no other food has changed the history of mankind as much as the potato. The scientists conclude that the brown tuber dramatically raised the standard of living in Europe and was a crucial prerequisite for Europe's political and economic rise.
Potato cultivation greatly increased agricultural productivity. On identical arable land, a potato field yields three times more calories than wheat, barley, or oats. In addition, potatoes contain enough vitamins and nutrients to feed people almost exclusively on them without causing deficiency symptoms.
The researchers assume 1700 as the reference year for the breakthrough of the potato as a food. At that time, there were no differences in economic development between regions with good and poor potato-growing conditions. The researchers were able to determine that this changed drastically after the potato was introduced. Where potatoes could be grown well, population growth was significantly greater over the following 200 years. In addition, significantly more people in these areas moved from the countryside to the city. Urbanization is generally considered an indicator of higher living standards. According to the two researchers, 47% of the increase in the urbanization rate since 1700 can be explained by potato cultivation.
However, not only from the point of view of food security, but also in a wide variety of technical areas, the potato has become indispensable. As a raw material, potato starch is of economic importance. It is used as an adhesive, binder, filler, and structuring agent in the pharmaceutical industry, as well as in textile, wood, and paper production. In oil production technology, it is used as a washing agent for drill holes. It is a completely biodegradable additive in the production of polystyrenes and other plastics, e.g. for the manufacture of disposable tableware. In addition, significant quantities of fuel-grade ethanol can be produced from potato waste. Potato starch is mainly used in the food industry. From bread to lemonade, potato starch is used wherever binding agents are needed. In addition, dextrose is also obtained from the starch, so that potato starch can be found in glucose as well as in glucose syrup.
Recently, Prof. Eva Tornberg (Lund University in Sweden) developed a method to obtain a vegan and allergen-free alternative to milk from proteins and starch from potatoes as well as rapeseed oil.
With fourth place on the list of the world's most produced agricultural products, potatoes play a significant role in feeding the world's population and thus in combating poverty; without them, the world's population could not be fed. The great hour of the potato is yet to come, however, when the imminent scarcity of water will force a global rethink of agricultural production.
An FAO resolution reiterates the need to raise public awareness of the links between poverty, food supply, malnutrition, and the potato's potential contribution to fighting hunger.
Starting at the end of 2018 and continuing until 2020, the International Potato Center (CIP) in Peru will launch a campaign under the slogan "Imagine a world without potatoes" to raise awareness around the extraordinary value of the potato to humanity. After all, what would the world be without potatoes?
Infos & Sources