The number of dishes that include potatoes is infinitely huge, and it is difficult to overestimate the benefits that this agricultural crop has brought to the whole world. For many peoples, potato is a source of essential elements of the diet and some people consumed it almost every day.
1. The Inca Indians in Peru were the first to cultivate potatoes around 8,000 BC to 5,000 B.C. In 1536 Spanish Conquistadors conquered Peru, discovered the flavors of the potato, and carried them to Europe.
2. After the potato was introduced to Europe, the attitude towards it was very distrustful, and from 1748 to 1772, it was illegal to grow or eat potatoes in France, because it was considered strange, poisonous and used mainly for feeding pigs.
3. There are potato museums. The most famous “potato” museum is located in Belgium.
4. Everyone knows that if you drop iodine solution on potato, it will turn blue. However, there are potato varieties that initially have a blue color not only of the peel but also of the pulp. One of them is Linzer Blaue.
5. Not a long time ago, in some tropical island countries, potatoes served as the equivalent of money.
6. The total world production for potatoes in 2016 was 376,826,967 metric tonnes. China was by far the largest producer, accounting for 26.3% of world production.
7. More than 7% of US-grown potatoes are used at McDonald’s for French fries. Contrary to popular belief, french fries were not invented in the United States and “French” fries do not come from France, it was first cooked in Belgium in the late XVII century.
8. In Belarus, there are more than 300 dishes from potatoes (“bulba”) and is the most potato loving country with about 181 kg consumed per capita.
9. Potatoes have more chromosomes than humans. Humans happened to end up with 46, and potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) ended up with 48 chromosomes.
10. Potato chips bags are often filled with nitrogen gas instead of air, which prevents the chips from oxidizing and creates a kind of cushion for protection during transportation.
11. The most expensive type of potato in the world is grown on the island of Noirmoutier (France). The cost of a kilogram of this potato is approximately five hundred euros.
12. August 19th and October 27th are National Potato Day. The world’s largest potato weighed 8 kilograms and 27 grams (18 pounds and 4 ounces), according to the Guinness Book of World Records.
