An image problem continues to trouble all sectors of the spud industry, according to the Alliance for Potato Research and Education, which says the U.S. Department of Agriculture is contributing to the problem. Maureen Storey, the alliance’s president and chief executive officer, addressed a group of growers, processors and distributors packed into a conference room at the 2012 Potato Expo in early January to hear an update on the organization.
Still in the gearing-up mode, the alliance expects to launch a website early this year.
The group’s goal is to remove “starchy” from USDA’s description of a potato.
“We need to get the information into the literature so the dietary guidelines and the consumer messages that come out of the dietary guidelines are balanced in their science,” Storey said. The alliance already commissioned research — with alarming results, she said.
Only 18% of survey respondents said they consider potatoes to be vegetables. The remaining 82% described them as starch. In a similar survey question, 33% of respondents said they did not think the word vegetable accurately describes potatoes.
Still in the gearing-up mode, the alliance expects to launch a website early this year.
The group’s goal is to remove “starchy” from USDA’s description of a potato.
“We need to get the information into the literature so the dietary guidelines and the consumer messages that come out of the dietary guidelines are balanced in their science,” Storey said. The alliance already commissioned research — with alarming results, she said.
Only 18% of survey respondents said they consider potatoes to be vegetables. The remaining 82% described them as starch. In a similar survey question, 33% of respondents said they did not think the word vegetable accurately describes potatoes.
