Potatoes, raw (organic?)

The potato ( Solanum tuberosum ) is a common staple food that is difficult to digest whole and in raw form due to its high starch content. The peel in particular contains poisonous solanine, which is particularly concentrated in green areas and should be cut out before consumption. Make sure it is organic quality.

Use in the kitchen

Potatoes play a major role in the kitchen, whether in cooking, roasting, baking or deep-frying. If raw potatoes are used in a dish, the consistency, appearance and taste change. Can you eat potatoes raw or are raw potatoes poisonous? Eating or drinking raw potatoes (potato juice) is possible in small quantities. You should not consume larger raw quantities for two main reasons. Firstly, the starch they contain is difficult to digest when uncooked, and secondly, the glycoalkaloids they contain (secondary plant substances to ward off pests and pathogens) can cause symptoms of poisoning if large quantities are consumed. The two glycoalkaloids α-solanine and α-chaconine are particularly found in potatoes. ¹ These are found in green areas, any shoots, the skin and, to a lesser extent, in the potato flesh. ² It is therefore advisable to remove these components if you want to eat the potato raw and generally make sure that you use fresh tubers without bruises and that there are no sprouts or green spots. We recommend cutting out green spots generously and discarding any that taste bitter. ¹

When cooking, it is best to prepare potatoes with the skin on and only steam or boil them gently. This is the best way to preserve the nutrients. Since solanine is water-soluble, you should throw away the cooking water and not reuse it. ^1,2

Potatoes are divided into different cooking types based on their cooking behavior. A different cooking type is selected depending on the intended use. The starch content depends on the variety, weather and maturity and often varies. The values differ depending on the source - so here they are given as approximate:

• Waxy potatoes have a rather moist flesh and are usually long or oval in shape. They are harvested earlier than floury potatoes. The starch content is rather low at around 11-13%, which means that the skin remains intact during the cooking process and does not burst. Waxy varieties include Allians, Belana, Goldmarie or Princess. These are ideal for preparing potato salad, gratin, fried potatoes or jacket potatoes . ³
• Most waxy potatoes, on the other hand, have a starch content of around (13-15%) and are therefore average. They are suitable for many recipes. Well-known varieties include Gala, Marabel, Milva or Toscana. These tubers can be used to make mashed potatoes, fried potatoes, jacket potatoes or baked potatoes. ³
• Floury potatoes almost fall apart after cooking and have the highest starch content: between 14 and 16%. Popular varieties include Adretta, Gunda, Lilly and Russet . ⁴ They can be used to make dishes such as mashed potatoes, dumplings and gnocchi. They are also suitable for soups and stews. ³

Can you dry raw potatoes or is drying potatoes poisonous? Raw potatoes can be dried easily. To do this, peel them into thin slices using a vegetable peeler. Briefly soak the slices in salt water so that they do not discolor and to reduce the solanine content. Dry well and put them in the dehydrator or oven. Dried potato leaves complement soups or stews, but are also suitable as a crunchy snack between meals.

Vegan recipe for rösti made from raw potatoes

Ingredients (for 4 people): 1 kg potatoes (waxy; organic), 1 teaspoon salt, 3 tablespoons rapeseed oil (refined) .

Preparation: Peel raw potatoes, grate coarsely and season with salt. Leave to stand for 10 minutes. Then squeeze out a little. Pour away the water. The potato mixture should be moist but no longer watery. Heat a non-stick pan with 2 tablespoons of rapeseed oil. Add the potato mixture, press down lightly and form into a cake. Fry briefly. Fry with the lid closed and over medium heat for 15 minutes. Shake the pan gently every now and then to loosen the rösti at the edge and prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. After 15 minutes, loosen the rösti from the edge and bottom of the pan and turn it carefully (over a plate or in flight). If necessary, add another 1 tablespoon of rapeseed oil before putting the turned rösti back into the pan. Fry the second side for about 15 minutes as well. The rösti should be golden-crisp and cooked through on both sides. Place vegan rösti on a plate and serve immediately or keep warm in the oven at 80 °C.

Vegan recipe for raw potato juice

Ingredients (for 1 dl of juice): 4 medium-sized organic potatoes (without sprouts, green spots or bruises).

Preparation: Peel the potatoes generously. Grate them into a strainer or a clean kitchen towel using a fine kitchen grater. Squeeze the grated potato mass through the cloth into a bowl or directly into a glass. Consume the vegan juice fresh, as it quickly oxidizes and begins to taste bitter. It is easier to extract raw potato juice using a juicer.

Vegan recipes with potatoes can be found under the note: " Recipes that have the most of this ingredient ".

Purchasing - Storage

Potatoes are available all year round, regardless of the season, from all food retailers such as Coop, Migros, Denner, Volg, Spar, Aldi, Lidl, Rewe, Edeka, Hofer or Billa . Some are also organic, such as in organic supermarkets such as Denn's Biomarkt and Alnatura . Depending on the season, you will find different varieties on offer. At the weekly market In the region there are also small quantities to try out, because the various varieties differ not only in their appearance, shape and color, but also in taste and consistency. Ready-made potato juice in organic quality is available for purchase in health food stores .

Are soft potatoes still edible? Potatoes should look crisp and fresh, have no bruises, and be neither shriveled nor soft. Eating soft potatoes is therefore not advisable.

When it comes to potatoes, it is particularly worthwhile to pay attention to organic quality, as these contain less nitrate than potatoes from conventional cultivation. ⁵ Organic tubers also have a longer shelf life and a fine, nutty aroma. Both of these are due to the slow growth due to less nitrogen being added and therefore a lower water content.

The availability of potatoes varies depending on the size of the store, catchment area, etc. Our recorded food prices for the DA-CH countries can be found above under the ingredient image - and by clicking you can see their development at different suppliers.

Storage tips

If you are storing potatoes for a few weeks, use a cardboard box with the potatoes next to each other or a bag made of natural, airy material such as jute or coarse linen, not a plastic bag. An unpainted clay pot with a lid will also work. It is important to store potatoes in the dark and ensure adequate ventilation. ^6,7

If you want to store raw potatoes for a longer period of time, a dark, cool and well-ventilated room is best. A room temperature between 4 and max. 8 °C is ideal to avoid unwanted sprouting of the potatoes for as long as possible. If the temperature falls below 4 °C, the taste changes as the starch is converted into sugar, which leads to a sweet aroma. ⁶ Cellars with wooden shelves have also proven to be useful. Boxes through which the air can circulate are also suitable. If the cellar has a window, it should be darkened and the tubers should also be covered. Do not stack too many potatoes on top of each other, as they will quickly develop bruises and the rotting process will accelerate. ⁷

In any case, you should store potatoes separately from fruit and other vegetables, as these can accelerate the ripening process. Store unwashed potatoes, as washing causes unwanted bruising. The shelf life of potatoes depends on the storage conditions and the type. Early potatoes with thinner skins do not last as long as late potatoes, which can often be stored for months. ⁷

Since today's cellars are often too dry and too warm for storing potatoes, there is an old method that can be implemented in your own garden and is called "earth cellar". This earth refrigerator consists of a hole in the ground in the garden filled with sand and straw and offers much better conditions than your own cellar. ⁶

Is freezing raw potatoes poisonous and can you freeze raw peeled potatoes? Raw potatoes are not suitable for freezing. Freezing does not make them poisonous, but when frozen, the starch present turns into sugar. In addition, the large water content destroys the cell structure by forming ice crystals. For this reason, when potatoes are thawed, they have a glassy, mushy consistency. How can peeled raw potatoes be stored? Peeled potatoes should also not be stored raw as they oxidize. On the other hand, freezing peeled, cooked potatoes or ready-made potato dishes is much more promising. ⁸ Preserving them by drying is also an option.

Ingredients - Nutritional values - Calories

100 g of raw potatoes ( Solanum tuberosum ) provide 77 kcal of energy. This includes 0.09 g of fat, 17 g of carbohydrates and 2 g of protein. In general, potatoes have the reputation of being a good source of calories without making you fat. This is because the calorie content is relatively low for a starch source. In contrast, uncooked white jasmine rice, for example, contains 365 kcal/100g. ⁹

Raw potatoes contain around 20 mg of vitamin C per 100 g. This covers 25% of the daily requirement. Raw butternut squash contains about the same amount (19 mg/100g). Green chili peppers, for example, contain particularly high levels of vitamin C (242 mg/100g). However, vitamin C is sensitive to heat and also dissolves in water. This is why boiled potatoes only contain 13 mg/100g. ⁹

The potassium content is 425 mg/100g (21% of the daily requirement). Wild rice (427 mg/100g) and wholegrain spaghetti (434 mg/100g) contain a similar amount. Raw ripe soybeans contain a particularly high amount of potassium (1797 mg/100g). ⁹

With 0.3 mg/100g, raw potatoes provide 21% of our average daily requirement of vitamin B₆ (pyridoxine). Wholegrain spaghetti has similarly high values (0.28 mg/100g). Wholegrain rice has more than twice as much of the vitamin (0.74 mg/100g). ⁹

Potatoes contain various phytochemicals such as phenols, flavonoids, polyamines and carotenoids. Various factors such as genotype, agronomic factors, post-harvest storage, cooking methods and processing conditions influence the concentration and stability of these constituents. ¹⁰

The complete ingredients of potatoes, the coverage of the daily requirement and comparison values with other ingredients can be found in our nutrient tables. In the article Nutrients explained you will get a detailed insight into the topic.

Health effects

How healthy is the potato? Solanum tuberosum has shown promising health-promoting properties in cell cultures, animal experiments and human clinical trials, including antioxidant, hypocholesterolemic, anti-inflammatory, anti-obesity, anti-cancer and anti-diabetic effects. Researchers attribute these to the compounds it contains, such as phenols, fibre, starch and proteins, as well as glycoalkaloids, lectins and protease inhibitors. However, epidemiological studies on humans are divided: some show a protective effect of potato consumption in weight control and diabetes, while others show no effect and a few suggest a negative effect. The compounds contained in S. tuberosum are beneficial or detrimental depending on specific circumstances. ¹¹ The cooking method has a significant influence on the nutrient content of the potato consumed. For example, there is evidence of a positive association between obesity, risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease and the consumption of chips/crisps in the UK. ¹² Scientists are therefore calling for long-term studies to further investigate the association between potato consumption and diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease and cancer, and to also take fat intake into account. ¹¹

Are oxidized potatoes poisonous? Peeled potatoes react with oxygen and develop brown spots. However, oxidized spots on potatoes are edible and not poisonous. Do not leave potatoes exposed to air for too long to prevent oxidation.

Potatoes ( Solanum tuberosum ) consist of around 75% water, 21% starch and 4% other substances. ¹³ Starch is the main source of energy and consists of the two polysaccharides (complex sugars) amylose and amylopectin. ¹⁴ Our bodies have to break down starch into the simple sugar glucose, which is accessible to our metabolism, for further processing. This digestive effort explains why potato flesh keeps us full for longer than, for example, pasta or white rice. ¹² So-called resistant starch is of particular interest to human health. It is formed when, for example, cooked potatoes cool down. ¹⁵ Resistant starch has the property of being resistant to enzymatic digestion and reaching the large intestine either unchanged or slightly changed. This is why it is classified as dietary fibre. Resistant starch has beneficial effects on human health through its prebiotic, hypocholesterolemic and hypoglycemic properties, as a laxative, by reducing the risk of ulcerative colitis (chronic inflammation of the colon) and colon cancer, and through its applications to improve the functional properties of foods. ¹⁵

Potato protein is biologically high-quality. This means that when we process it, we hardly produce any waste products that can be passed through the kidneys, which often occur with proteins of a different composition, such as meat. This relieves the strain on our kidneys, which is particularly important when kidney function is impaired. All essential amino acids are found in potatoes and in good proportions. Our body uses all the protein contained in potatoes. The amino acid ratio can also be optimized by combining it with corn or other types of grain. ¹⁷ The optimal ratio of essential amino acids is important for our cell metabolism, skin and muscle development and maintenance.

The ratio between the potassium and sodium contained is beneficial, especially for people who suffer from high blood pressure or cardiovascular problems, as these minerals are jointly responsible for maintaining the osmotic pressure in cells. Potassium is also involved in regulating the water and electrolyte balance and in maintaining the acid-base balance. ¹⁸

Solanum tuberosum contains substances that have a calming effect on our stomach. Various studies at the Hoffmann-La-Roche Laboratory in Basel and at the University of Göttingen (Germany) have shown that potatoes contain various benzodiazepines. These calming substances are often used in commercial tranquilizers in the pharmacy. These natural sedatives also have a local effect on the stomach and help to relax. Therefore, potatoes, especially in puree form, are a quick remedy for hyperacidity, gastritis, stomach ulcers, gastric prolapse, nervous stomach and whenever there are problems with digestion or with the stomach in general. Of course, the way they are prepared determines how healthy and beneficial the potato is. Deep-fried foods or foods fried in a lot of oil are just as detrimental as combining them with meat. In order to digest oil and meat, the stomach has to trigger certain secretions that put more strain on it, which puts the positive effect of the potato into perspective. ¹⁷

Because potatoes are alkaline, they are able to neutralize excess acid. They have an alkalizing effect on the stomach, blood, and urine. The soft consistency of potatoes relieves the stomach of its digestive work. Freshly squeezed juice from raw potatoes also has a healing effect on various stomach ailments. ¹⁷

Secondary plant substances

Although potatoes ( Solanum tuberosum ) contain secondary plant substances, their nutritional added value lies primarily in the starch and biologically valuable protein they contain.

The content of phenols, carotenoids and anthocyanins is relatively low compared to other fruits and vegetables. Studies also disagree on how preparation methods affect the content of secondary plant substances. Both increases and decreases have been found compared to the raw form. ⁴⁰

Dangers - Intolerances - Side effects

The glycoalkaolides α-solanine and α-chaconine contained in potatoes can lead to symptoms of poisoning if consumed in large quantities. In 2018, the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment ( BfR ) therefore recommended a maximum intake of 0.5 mg glycoalkaloids per kg body weight. Due to a case of poisoning in 2015, the BfR also called for the current glycoalkaloid content in potatoes to be reduced from 200 mg to 100 mg per kg fresh weight. The content can be significantly reduced by correct storage or by cutting out green areas. ¹

Solanum tuberosum produces increased amounts of solanine when exposed to too much light, ¹⁹ which can be seen by green discoloration. This can be seen either because potatoes grow too close to the surface or when exposed to light during storage. The solanine content also increases when the potato is bruised and when it sprouts. ²⁰ Solanine is heat-resistant, ²¹ but is reduced when the skin is removed and in water, e.g. when preparing boiled potatoes. ²

Is frying raw potatoes poisonous? If you heat the potato to a high temperature, for example to get a crust, as with fried potatoes, hash browns or deep-fried chips, the undesirable carcinogen acrylamide is formed by the amino acids asparagine and glutamine contained in the potatoes. This crust formation is also known as the Maillard reaction. This process takes place at temperatures of 140 °C and above. ²² The formation can be reduced by regulating the temperature below the critical values and by using boiled potatoes.

Use as a recognized medicinal plant

Is potato juice poisonous? The juice from raw potatoes is gentle on the stomach and neutralizes stomach acid. In cases of acute or chronic heartburn, stomach burning or gastritis, the alkaline juice has a calming effect, making the inflamed stomach wall less painful. ¹⁷

The value and biological activity of concentrated protein from potato juice and its effects have been investigated. It has been shown that the protein obtained in this way is the most valuable in this composition that does not come from animal products - due to the balance between the essential amino acids and the additional components such as minerals and antioxidants. The technology used to extract the protein fraction from raw potato juice is very complex, which is why trading it is currently out of the question. Furthermore, in vivo studies with freeze-dried potato juice protein have shown that heat treatment does not affect the biological activity of the protein contained. In vitro studies have shown that highly concentrated potato juice contains ingredients that successfully combat cancer cells. ²³

A study was able to prove that after a week of daily consumption of 100 ml of raw potato juice, immediately after getting up and in the evening before going to bed, symptoms such as upper abdominal pain and heartburn improved noticeably in two thirds of the participants. This result underlines the effect that has long been known in folk medicine. ²⁴

Folk medicine - natural healing

In traditional European medicine, the juice of freshly pressed potatoes was used to treat stomach problems because of its anti-acid and antispasmodic effect. The first medical records of the use of raw potatoes for gastrointestinal problems go back to the Swiss doctor Bircher-Benner (1897-1939). The topical use of potatoes is also popular in traditional medicine. A stew made from boiled potatoes, applied as a warm or hot pack, was used to relieve pain or soften boils. ²⁵

Potatoes can help with eye swelling and dark circles. Grate the potato finely and apply it under the eyes for 15 minutes. Then wash off with lukewarm water. Or mix the finely grated potato with two tablespoons of water, dip a cotton pad in the liquid and place the pads on the eyes for 15 minutes. Alternatively, place whole or half slices on or under the eyes, optionally chilled in the refrigerator. ²⁶

A hot potato topping with its large heat storage capacity, it provides long-term relief from arthritic complaints, has an anti-edematous, pain-relieving, muscle-relaxing, deep-warming and anti-inflammatory effect. ²⁷ For a potato wrap, you need 500 g of soft-boiled potatoes, wrapped in a paper towel and then packed in a dish (or wrap). The potatoes are crushed in a packet to form a 2-3 cm thick pad, which should be about the size of the area to be treated. Before applying, carefully check whether the heat is tolerable. Fix the pad tightly and without air holes with a woolen cloth. The pad should remain in place as long as it feels comfortable. Between 15 minutes and all night. After removing it, you should rest. The potato foot warmer bottle is prepared in a similar way. The pad is placed on the soles of the feet, appropriate to the size of the foot. Fix the pad with woolen socks. This variant provides very intensive warmth over a long period of time and promotes mobility in the long term.

This potato wrap can also be effective for severe bronchial coughs and sore throats. The potato wrap is placed over the lungs when a person is coughing and the person is wrapped in a wool blanket. If the wrap is intended to relieve a sore throat, it is placed on the neck and then the procedure described above is continued. If the patient feels unwell during one of these treatments, the wrap is removed immediately. ²⁸

Ecological footprint - animal welfare

The primary way to assess the climate friendliness of a food is to use its CO ₂ footprint . This depends on various factors. The type of agricultural production (conventional vs. organic), seasonal, regional or domestic production or import by truck, ship or plane, different types of packaging and whether the goods are fresh or frozen all play a decisive role. ²⁹

1 kg of fresh potatoes (organic and conventional) have a CO ₂ footprint between 0.2 and 0.39 kg CO ₂ eq/kg, This value may vary slightly from manufacturer to manufacturer. ^29,30 The amount of water needed to produce 1 kg of potatoes is 287 litres. ³¹

From an ecological point of view, the potato is doing well. It requires around 0.06 hectares of land per tonne. Rice, on the other hand, requires 0.24 hectares for the same amount and wheat even requires 0.35 hectares. Much more water is needed to produce rice than potatoes or wheat. Potatoes store a large amount of water and ultimately leave a much lower _carbon footprint than wheat and rice. ¹²

For detailed explanations of various sustainability indicators (such as ecological footprint, _CO2 footprint, water footprint), see our article: What does the ecological footprint mean? .

Animal protection - species protection

According to Udo Pini, the potato is a symbol with a large community of interests. He concludes this from the emotional battle to preserve the potato variety 'Linda', which was due to disappear because the patent was expiring. In 2009, it was saved by enough votes. In Switzerland, the ProSpecieRara association is fighting for the potato heritage with the slogan 'Diversity for all'. The association ensures that old varieties are not lost and looks after the preservation of variety diversity. ³²

Although bees do not visit potato flowers due to the high alkaloid content, the potato plant can be of interest to bees when there is a high aphid infestation. Flowering weeds also contribute to increasing the number of bees flying. According to the Bee Protection Ordinance, no bee-harming plant protection products may be used when bees are flying. The use of preparations that are harmless to bees is permitted, or the evening hours can be avoided to protect wild bees and other pollinating insects. ⁴¹

Worldwide occurrence - cultivation

Potatoes ( Solanum tuberosum ) originally come from the Andean region, where they have been cultivated as a staple food for over 7000 years. Studies show that their specific origin lies in what is now southern Peru. Since the crop was introduced to Europe in the 16th century and spread worldwide, the potato has been the fourth largest food crop after wheat, rice and corn. ³³

Although native to the Andean regions of Chile, Bolivia and Peru, S. tuberosum is now cultivated worldwide. In 2022, China, India, Ukraine, Russia, the USA, Germany, Bangladesh, France, Pakistan and the Netherlands were among the top 10 potato producers. ³⁴

Found in the wild

There are currently 151 known species of wild potato. These inedible species are the original ancestors of today's cultivated potatoes. Wild species are found from the southwestern United States to southern Chile, with the majority found in Peru and Bolivia. They grow in a wide range of soils and climates, from arid deserts along the Peruvian coast to the valleys of the Andes at elevations of up to 4200 meters above sea level. Temperature changes combined with habitat loss are the greatest threats to wild potato species. Recent modeling studies show that by 2050, up to 13 wild potato species could become extinct and up to 52% of their range could be lost. ³⁵

Cultivation - Harvest Growing

your own potatoes is very easy and is not tied to a specific variety. If you are planting different varieties in the same pot, just make sure that the potatoes have a similar ripening time. Whether in a bed or a pot, the optimal planting time in Central Europe is between the beginning of April and the middle of May, at a minimum of 10 °C during the day and no less than 5 °C at night. For potatoes to grow optimally, they need a warm, sunny location that is protected from the weather. A place on the south wall with a roof overhang is ideal. If you plant your potatoes in a pot, it should have a capacity of 10 to 20 liters. The soil should never dry out completely - at the same time, prevent waterlogging. During growth, you should provide the potato plants with enough nutrients using a liquid fertilizer. The tubers are ready for harvest after about three to four months. Early potatoes from July. Dig up the plants to harvest the tubers. Can you grow potatoes in a plastic bag? Growing potatoes in plastic bags is basically possible. However, as excess water does not drain away in plastic bags, waterlogging can quickly occur, which has a negative effect on potato growth and destroys harvests. ³⁶

There are a few more points to consider when producing potatoes commercially. In the autumn before, it is a good idea to work the soil for cultivation in the following spring. To do this, dig up the top 20 centimeters. Over the winter, it is a good idea to plant some greenery to loosen the soil. In the spring, dig up the surface of the soil and sow the potatoes. Moderate fertilization increases the yield. With an excess of nutrients in the soil, the risk of crop damage increases. The potato is more susceptible and takes on a grayish color after cooking. Organic farmers can fertilize the soil with compost. In addition to chemical-synthetic fertilizers, many conventional farms also use potato fruit water, which is produced when starch flour is produced. In the main growing areas, the cultivation of early potatoes begins at the end of February, and storage potatoes in early to mid-April. The ideal temperature for the development of potatoes is between 8 and a maximum of 25 °C. Since the potato plant only has very short roots, the area to be grown must be watered regularly. The harvest period begins in mid or late May (early potatoes) and lasts until late autumn: the harvest period for storage potatoes begins at the end of August. When harvesting, the soil should be as dry as possible so that the earth is looser. If the harvest takes place in dry conditions, the risk of storage damage is reduced. The best way to determine when to harvest storage potatoes is to take a sample. To do this, take a potato out of the ground and rub the skin. If it comes off quickly, the potato is not yet ripe and suitable for storage. If you cut the potato open and it squeaks, it lacks starch. The tuber needs more time in the ground. ³⁷

As a cultivated tuber in the field, potatoes are a very susceptible crop to pests and diseases, and susceptibility varies greatly depending on the variety. One of the most important pests is the potato aphid. There are many other aphids that can transmit viruses to potato plants. Nematodes (roundworms), the Colorado potato beetle, cutworms and wireworms are also known pests. Late blight and tuber rot ( Phytophtora infestans ) is one of the most dangerous fungal diseases of potatoes. In warm, humid conditions, a severe infestation can mean a crop loss of 50% or even total failure. Dry spot disease ( Alternaria solani ) and root rot ( Rhizoctonia solani ) are important fungal diseases. Bacterial diseases include blackleg and tuber rot ( Erwinia carotovora ), potato scab (Strepomyces scabies) and bacterial ring rot ( Clavibacter michiganensis ssp. sepedonicus ). If healthy planting material is used, tuber rot and potato scab can be easily avoided. Viroses include potato Y virus, S virus, potato leafroll virus, and rarer X, A and M viruses. The tobacco rattle virus is transmitted by nematodes and significantly reduces the edible value of potatoes. Diseases caused by a viroid, such as spindle tuber disease and stolbur disease caused by a phytophlasma, are no longer as significant when good planting material is produced. ⁴²

Potatoes are one of the most sprayed crops in agriculture. In contrast, organic potatoes have significantly fewer pesticide residues. Fertilization is carried out without synthetic fertilizers. ³²

In Germany, Austria and Switzerland, organic potatoes do not always have to come from 100% organic seed. If no organically certified seedlings are available, farmers can obtain special permits from the inspection body before purchasing. Non-certified seedlings must meet the organic quality criteria for the cultivation to be considered organic. ⁴³

Further information

Is the potato a vegetable? Potatoes ( Solanum tuberosum ) are nightshade plants (Solanaceae) with starchy tubers. Although the starchy plants are similar to grains in preparation, they are neither vegetables nor fruit or grains. Of the many plants whose underground storage organs mainly contain starch as a reserve material, four genera are used in particular: cassava ( Manihot esculenta ), sweet potato ( Ipomoea batatas ), yam ( Dioscorea ) and potatoes. Jerusalem artichoke ( Helianthus tuberosus ) is often referred to as a potato or earth artichoke, but it is not closely related to the potato. ³⁸

There are over 4,000 potato varieties known worldwide. Most of them are found in the Andes of South America. ³⁵ New varieties are constantly being added to the list, while others are being dropped. In Switzerland, over 50 agronomic criteria are used to evaluate new varieties for cultivation and sale. ⁴ What is particularly worrying, however, is that producers in Switzerland reject around a third of their potato production because they allegedly do not meet the visual requirements of consumers. Huge amounts of seed, fertilizer and pesticides are used in the process. The rejected "waste products" are used as animal feed for cows. This amounts to over 100 million kg of potatoes per year, of which over half are perfectly edible for humans. Associations are counteracting this situation by selling vegetables "with minor defects" at cheaper prices - and with success. ³⁹ In recent years, forgotten varieties have increasingly found their way into weekly markets and supermarkets. These new old varieties often have a nuttier taste and are often notable for their colorful flesh. Many of them come in different colors such as red or blue and vary from oval to round to horn-shaped.

Alternative names

Alternative names for the potato are Erdapfel, Erdbirne, Grundbirne, Potaten (plural). The English name is potato or potatoes (plural). In Italy, however, the tuber is called patata.