Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1919-03-04
Food Value of Maine Potatoes.
ANALYSIS OF MAINE GROWN COMPARED
WITH OTHERS.

Like all vegetable foods potatoes ar,
high IN water content. The water In
foods Is no more valuabls for nutrition
so far as 10 known, than other wafer
Hence the dry matter is the best com.
parstive measure of food materials that
are at all similar in composition. The
Maine Agricultural Experiment Station
at different times has had occasion 10
snalyze quite number of samples OF
Maine grown potatoes and the analyses
OF potatoes grown in other parts of the
United States have been compiled.
There is only about per cent of pro-
tein, per cent fat and per cent of ash
in potatoes and there is little difference
between Maine and other potatoes "a
regards these three constituents. In
comparing the average analyses of Maine
potatoes with the average for other pota-
toes IL Is found that Maine potatoes car
~ about a pound and q half more dry
matter per hundred weight than the
others. This extra weight of dry mat
ter is due to higher percentages of the
carbohydrates or starchy materials. The
examination of Maine grown potatoes
made by this Station show the starch to
range from 10 to 21 per cent. As the
per cent of starch In potato tubers de-
pends upon their maturity any thing that
will prolong their growth 10 likely to
increase the starch content. In years
when there is potato blight vines sprayed
with Bordeaux mixture will usually out
live unsprsyed vines. In the compari-
son between unsprayed and sprayed
from the same Maine fields the tubers
from the sprayed portions averaged to
carry 19,1 per cent starch and those from
the unsprsyed portions only 17.5 per
cent. Also the dry matter In the tubers
from sprayed portions of the field aver.
aged more than l 1-2 per cent higher
than in the case of those from the up-
sprayed portions.
Every experiment made at this Station
has shown that proper spraying With
Bordeaux mixture increases the yield of
true even in years in which there was no
sppreciable blight present. II the per
cent and half more of starch found in
the sprayed than in the unsprsyed tubsrs
is due to the treatment of the vines, and
no other explanation suggests itself. this
is an added argument in favor Of spray
ing with Bordeaux mixture.
Cooked potatoes seem so very differ
ent in texture from raw potatoes that
one might expect them to have changed
quite bit in composition through the
process of cooking. To learn what
changes, IL any take place in cooking,
two lots of equal weights were selected.
One lot was prepared at once for ansly
sis; aud the other los was cooked by
steaming. When removed from the
steamer and while still hot they weighed
a little more than before cooking, but on
standing In the open air to cool this
added water evsporated and they finally
weighed trifie less than before cooking.
After cooling the lot was prepared for
analysis. The results of the exsmina-
tion of the two lots showed that they
had undergone no change in composition
so far as the amounts of water, protein,
fat, ash, woody fiber, and starch are con-
cerned.
The higher dry matter and starch con-
tent of Maine potatoes as compared with
the average potatoes the country over
shows the Maine grown potatoes to have
a higher food value. And the popular
ity of Maine grown potatoes 10 the mar
kets 10 apparently based upon real diff
ference In nutrisive vslue. For this
higher starch content adds to the mesli-
ness and improves the flavor OF the
tuber.-Cbas. d. Woods, Director.