Potato Day: history, facts, and quality testing in the laboratory

      In December 2023, the United Nations General Assembly, at the initiative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), proclaimed May 30 as International Potato Day. The purpose of the celebration is to raise public awareness of the nutritional, economic, environmental, and cultural values of potatoes and their important role in the lives of producers and consumers.

      HISTORY OF POTATOES

      The potato is a food crop with a thousand-year history. Its origin is linked to the highlands of the South American Andes, where indigenous people cultivated it 9,000 to 7,000 years ago. For the Inca civilization, the potato was a staple agricultural crop – they called it "the flower of ancient civilization" and even worshipped it, considering it a sentient being.

      The potato reached Europe in the 16th century (first to England), but initially, it was perceived as a decorative and even poisonous plant.

      It is well known that Peter the Great brought potatoes to Russia; however, the exotic plant was not immediately accepted and was initially called "the devil's fruit." Peasants were reluctant to plant the unfamiliar vegetable. Moreover, there were cases of poisoning: people unknowingly consumed not the tubers but the green "berries" that ripened on the foliage. Peasants long and stubbornly resisted potatoes, preferring the traditional turnips and radishes of the time. It took decades before potatoes earned the title of "second bread." Nowadays, no family can do without them. They are found in mashed potatoes, soups, pies, etc.

      Today, potatoes are considered one of the most important food crops. There are between 3,000 and 5,000 varieties of potatoes in the world. They vary in maturation times, yield, disease resistance, taste, color, and other characteristics.

      BENEFITS AND HARMS OF POTATOES

      On the holiday dedicated to this root vegetable, it is useful to know about the benefits of potatoes:

      - They reduce the risk of heart disease, which is due to the presence of fiber in the vegetable that helps activate metabolism and lower cholesterol levels in the blood;

      - They support bone tissue – thanks to the iron and zinc in potatoes, which promote collagen production, important for joint and cartilage health;

      - They have a beneficial effect on the nervous system, due to the presence of B vitamins in the vegetable;

      - Fresh potato juice helps with increased acidity in cases of stomach and duodenal ulcers;

      - Thanks to choline, which is part of the root vegetable, they support memory and healthy sleep;

      However, it should be noted that potatoes also have harmful properties:

      - The vegetable can cause allergic reactions in people with individual hypersensitivity to it;

      - Due to the presence of simple carbohydrates, potatoes are contraindicated for people suffering from obesity or diabetes;

      - The likelihood of solanine formation in tubers when sprouts grow or when exposed to light can cause poisoning;

      - The high calorie content of potatoes cooked in lard, oil, or as "fries."

      INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT POTATOES

      Fact 1

      The potato is a perennial plant. We dig it up annually because we are interested in the tubers. However, if it weren't for our intervention, potato bushes could continue to grow.

      Fact 2

      Potatoes are grown not only on Earth but also in space. It was the first vegetable grown beyond our planet. This experiment was conducted in 1995 on the space shuttle "Columbia."

      Fact 3

      Potatoes are grown in 125 countries, and in several places, monuments have been erected to them. They can be seen, for example, in Minsk and the Kemerovo region (Mariinsk). In Bruges, Belgium, you can visit a museum that tells the history of potatoes. In a museum located in the American city of Blackfoot, the history of the emergence and development of the potato industry is showcased.

      Fact 4

      Unpeeled potato tubers consist of 80% water, not starch as many think. They contain only about 15% starch.

      Fact 5

      In 2011, a record-sized tuber weighing 4.98 kg was presented at the National Horticultural Exhibition in Somerset.

      RESEARCH ON POTATOES IN THE LABORATORIES OF THE COK APC

      In the laboratory of the branch of the Federal State Budgetary Institution "COK APC" in the Republic of Tatarstan, specialists conduct entomological, helminthological, mycological, bacteriological, and virological studies of potatoes. The following methods are used to test the tubers:

      - Polymerase chain reaction (PCR), which allows for the detection of viruses, potato spindle tuber viroid, and bacterial pathogens (such as ring rot, black leg, and brown bacterial rot);

      - The funnel flotation method is used to identify cyst-forming nematodes (golden and pale potato nematodes).

      - It should be added that seed potatoes must not contain pests, weed seeds, or pathogens that have quarantine significance for the Russian Federation. Therefore, the main goal of conducting research on the quarantine phytosanitary condition of seed potato material is to prevent the spread of dangerous quarantine objects within the country and beyond, said Ulyana Polkanova, deputy head of the testing laboratory of the branch of the Federal State Budgetary Institution "COK APC" in the Republic of Tatarstan.

      Since the beginning of 2026, specialists from the branch have examined more than 291 tons of seed potatoes for the domestic market and 18 tons for export to Kazakhstan. The results of the conducted research confirmed the full compliance of the potatoes with the quarantine phytosanitary requirements of Russia and the importing country. International Potato Day is an important holiday; it reminds us of the significance of this root vegetable for the economy and its beneficial properties. Use this date to enjoy your favorite dishes or master new recipes.

      Photo by the author

      Alexander Isakov