The Potato - Slides.pptx YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

These slides are to teach students about the commodity called potato.

1. All About The Potato A Lesson About The Potato

2. History Of The Potato

3. Domestication of Potatoes Microscopic starch grains found on stone tools Likely used to break off potato skin Out of 141 tested starch 50 matched the domesticated potato

4. Potatoes in Europe Seen as exotic and used as decoration Banned due to being poisonous All but one part of the plant are toxic

5. The Staple of Irland Mid 18th Century Easy to grow, reliable source of food Primary food especially for the poor

6. The Irish Potato Famine 19th Century Blight (plant Disease) leads to crop failure People die due to the famine

7. Settling in the West Mid 19th century Pioneers travel west in the US Faced hash and unpredictable conditions Difficult terrain and limited food Potatoes became necessity Easy to grow and store Reliable nutrients Potatoes establish agriculture in the region Set up homesteads and farms

8. The Invention of the First Frozen French Fries Also hard to pinpoint origin Patatas Bravas from Spain may be the earliest version First mention of french fries in 1700s Paris Inspired Frederic Krieger to make fries, move to Belgium and open restaurant

9. Creation of the Potato Chip Cornelius Vanderbilt eating at a restaurant Complains about potato asking them to be cut thinner Chef angry and cuts them as then as possible as revenge Backfires when Vanderbuilt enjoys Many stories like this Who REALLY invented the chip?

10. Introducing Genetically Modified Potato 1990s Fight against predators such as bugs and viruses New nutrition 21st century People switch to sweet potato for health benefits

11. OG vs Sweet Potatoes

12. Where are the Potatoes

13. Worldwide Top Producer (2017) China +99,000,000 metric tons per year, however do not have high yields Mostly grown in the north and west regions Problems Lack of coordination between farmers and virus-free seeds are scarce

14. #5 on the Production List 20,000,000 metric tons America’s top vegetable crop Over half sold to make byproducts Exports to Canada, Japan, and Mexico Idaho and Washington produce half of the total potatoes due to climate United States

15. Idaho What makes Idaho ideal? Warm days, cool nights , mountain irrigation, and rich volcanic soil Produces over 30 varieties More than 300,000 acres of potatoes are harvested on each year

16. Byproducts

17. Starch Characteristics Gluten-free , flavorless, thickens in low temperatures Baking Provide structure, tenderness, and binding properties Frying Replaces cornstarch Provides crunchy coating

18. Biodegradable Cutlery Made from starch Also discovered how to make straws Decompose after two months