News on Research

Late last week, the Potato Council published its annual GB Potatoes Market Intelligence report, wrapping up all key information about the GB potato market in order to inform decision-making and provide answers for common questions about the industry.

DSM Nutritional Products has opened a Nutrition Innovation Center for Asia Pacific as part of DSM’s new S$8.8 million premises at Mapletree Business City, further strengthening Singapore’s thriving nutrition science and technology ecosystem.

This week, the Wisconsin Spudmobile - Wisconsin’s traveling billboard - is in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, for the annual Wisconsin Public Service (WPS) Farm Show at the EAA Grounds.

New research from an Iowa State University economist, Wallace Huffman, found consumers were willing to spend more for genetically modified potato products with reduced levels of a chemical compound linked to cancer.

Pizzoli S.p.A., Italy's largest operator in the potato sector and Bio-on S.p.A., the leader in eco-sustainable chemical technologies, will collaborate to build Italy's first PHAs bioplastic production plant using waste product from the potato agro-industrial process.

Representatives of the Canadian Government announced an investment of $1.83 million in a Canadian-led international research effort to give potato farmers a technological edge in predicting and preventing yield losses in their fields and in storage.

North Dakota, potato grower Carl Hoverson was elected Chairman of the United States Potato Board (USPB) at the organization's 2015 Annual Meeting in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

AUSVEG has welcomed the signing of a work and holiday Memorandum of Understanding between the Australian and Vietnamese governments, which could assist Australian vegetable and potato growers fill labour shortages during peak harvesting times.

Raising China potato production is of utmost importance. In the coming years a great effort is to be made to meet the increasing demand of potatoes for fresh consumption and for industry.

The Cameroonian Ministry of Industry has just issued a call for tenders to hire a research firm to conduct a technical, institutional and financial study on behalf of the government to create a potato-processing project for Kumbo in the North-West region.

The University of Maine and the Maine Potato Board have released a new potato variety, Caribou Russet.

The International Potato Center (CIP) mourns the passing of Dr. Richard L. Sawyer, founder of CIP and its first Director General. Dr. Sawyer passed away on March 9 in Raleigh, North Carolina, in his native USA.

Colorado potato beetles are a dreaded pest of potatoes all over the world. Now, scientists from the Max Planck Institutes of Molecular Plant Physiology in Potsdam-Golm and Chemical Ecology in Jena have shown that potato plants can be protected from herbivory using RNA interference (RNAi).

AUSVEG remains wholly unconvinced of the benefits of a grower-funded generic potato marketing campaign despite claims from the Potato Marketing Corporation of Western Australia that the initiative has been a success in that state.

The United States Potato Board (USPB) is pleased to announce industry veteran Ryan J. Krabill has joined its staff in the newly-created position of Director of Research & Analysis.

The investigation into a food tampering case involving sewing needles inserted into potatoes is still active, reports Prince Edward Island RCMP spokesperson, Sgt. Leanne Butler.

On February 23-26, NPC hosted the 2015 Potato D.C. Fly-In, where more than 150 U.S. potato growers and industry partners from across the country came to Washington, D.C., to advocate for the industry's most pressing federal policy priorities.

A new University of Michigan study confirms what has long been suspected: highly processed foods like chocolate, pizza and French fries are among the most addictive.