Potato News from Canada

Canada's potato company famous for its small potatoes - the Little Potato Company - has partnered with CTV's The Marilyn Denis Show and Masterchef Canada's Michael Bonacini to create The Little Chef Casting call, an opportunity for young cooks to have a chance to appear on TV and win a culinary trip of a lifetime

This year, potato yields should be slightly above average in the Canadian prairie provinces Manitoba and Alberta, but figures aren’t available because the harvest is only 10 to 15 percent complete.

The discovery of needles and nails in potatoes in a suspected case of food tampering earlier this year in Atlantic Canada have heightened the awareness of consumers and media alike. The latest case, reported by CBC Nova Scotia, is the finding of metal object in mashed potatoes in a Halifax restaurant.

Now available in Canada, Tostitos Rolls! tortilla chips are mini corn tortillas that are rolled into bite-sized chips which give them layers of support that can handle the weight of thicker dips.

A UK company that manufactures machines that help restaurants make fresh-cut french fries is launching into the North American market with a small plant in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island

The Prince Edward Island Potato Industry '... hasn't focused on the belly aching, financial or emotional challenges...' resulting from the potato tampering incidents, that are still unresolved. 'Instead food safety has continued to be the highest priority ...' says Greg Donald, general manager of the P.E.I. potato board.

After receiving almost 950,000 flavour submissions, Lay's Canada has revealed the four finalist flavours for this year's Do Us a Flavour Tastes of Canada contest

The most recent report of a metal object found in a bag of potatoes appears to be of a different nature than previous incidents, say RCMP and the P.E.I. Potato Board.potato bag in which watch strap pin was found

On Sunday, August 9th, 2015, the potato growers of Prince Edward Island are hosting the first ever Prince Edward Island Potato Social to thank fellow Islanders and potato-loving visitors for their support in the past year.

While the rest of the agriculture sector nervously eyes the oil melt-down, the french fry industry in Canada might actually be poised for a comeback

Equipment manufacturer GIllenkirch offers an innovative solution to the Prince Edward Island potato industry after the recent scare involving needles inserted in potatoes

The potato industry in Prince Edward Island has opted to increase the value of the reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the iindividual(s) responsible for the deliberate insertion of metal objects into potatoes up to $500,000 until August 15th, 2015.

The Province of Prince Edward Island is providing additional funding support of $500,000 to the Prince Edward Island potato industry, while the federal government also offers $1.5 million additional financial assistance for the purchase and installation of foreign material detection equipment.

Prince Edward Island potato bags have received a makeover. The goal is to convince more Island potato producers to go with the industry bags rather than their own individual brands.

A research scientist at Agriculture and Agrifood Canada has discovered that naturally-occurring bacteria in soil may offer protection against late blight (Phytophthora Infestans).

Loblaw Companies Limited and Strang's Produce Inc. are voluntarily recalling certain Farmer's Market and Strang's Produce brands of Russet Potatoes from the marketplace due to possible food tampering with nails and needles.

Prince Edward Island RCMP Major Crime Unit responded to a potential food tampering incident on May 18, 2015, following a complaint that a metal object was found in a potato.

Potato Producers Manitoba, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick all have reached a deal with the French Fry manufacturers.