Oxford Democrat., 1920-06-15
Industrial Uses Of Potatoes.

The Maine Agricultural Experiment
Station in cooperation with William A
Martin of Houlton, Thomas Pbair ol
Presque Isle and John Watson OF Houl.
ton, all deceased, has during the past 2C
years given considerable attention to
finding Industrial uses, other than starch
manufacture, for the surplus potato crop
of Maine.
Potatoes contain from 75 to 80 parts
by weight of water. From 15 to occa-
sionally as much ss 25 parts by weight is
starch. The other ingredients while hav-
ing food value are not industrially util-
ICED in Maine. Whether used as food
or for industrial purposes it is The starch
content that gives economic value to the
potato. Methods OF potato culture, fer
tilization, and potato breeding have for
their ultimate goal the production OF
more starch per acre. 1t is unimportant
from either the food or industrial point
of view whether the increased yield of
starch per acre is accomplished by larger
yields or by increased starch content of
the tubers.
Other than being used in their fresh
condition as food for man or stock there
are seven distinct industrial uses (though
most of them are more important In
Europe than with us) to which the po-
tato is adapted. In later paper in this
series it is proposed to discuss potatoes
as a source of starch and of dextrine and
glucose derived from potato starch. The
present article discusses briefly the four
other ways 10 which potatoes enter into
industrial use.
Two of these, potato flour and dried
(dehy drated) potatoes became prominent
during the war. Potato -four consists of
the entire dried and ground potato with
the exception of the skin. A bushel (60
pounds) Of potatoes will make IL pounds
of -four. Only sound stock can be used
for -four making, but the potatoes do not
need to be of the No. Federal grade. 1t
contains all of the proteids and mineral
matters of the raw potato, and hence is q
very different product from dried potato
starch. Potato -four is used, particularly
in Europe, for mixing with other fours
in bread making. 1t is also used in max
ing cake, soups and similar preparations.
The addition of five per cent of potato
-four to wheat is claimed to improve the
flavor of bread and make it retain its
freshness longer. As potato -four has a
greater water holding capacity than wheat
-four its addition makes it possible for
bakers to obtain larger number Of loaves
from given weight of the mixed flours.
There was, however, only limited de-
mand for potato -four under war condi-
tions, and still less since the armistice.
During the war large quantities of
dried or dehydrated potatoes we're used
by the army. Their preparation began
in Aroostook County for sale to the Brit
ish army before America entered the
war. And while we we're actively en-.
amounts of dried potatoes. The elimina-
ton of loss from decay and frost, the
marked reduction in bulk and weight
making transportation and storage easier,
as we'll as ease of preparation for the
table, are among the advantages of dehy
dration. The manufacturing process is
more expensive than that involved In
making flour. The fresh potatoes are
run through washing and peeling ma
chine, and then carried on "sorting
belt" where unsuitable stock is removed
By hand. The cleaned aud pared pota-
toes are either sliced, psrboiled and dried
in current of warm air, or else they are
steamed, "riced" by forcing through
small holes, and dried.
Potato -four and dried potatoes con.
tain all the constituents of the fresh
product.
Alcohol, for industrial purposes in.
cluding use as fuel, is produced in Eu.
rope from potatoes. But In the United
States the relative abundance and cheap.
ness of molasses makes that by-product
the chief raw material for industrial
alcohol.
Lactic acid as used In tanning leather,
in dyeing and printing calico and in foods
and beverages can be made from pota-
toes, and is so used in Germany on q
large scale. But in this country most Of
the Tactic acid is made from vegetable
ivory waste and from corn meal.
1t takes five pounds Of potatoes to pro-
duce pound of potato -four. If it cost
nothing to dry and grind the potatoes, a
pound Of -four would cost 10 cents with
potatoes at a little over So a barrel. And
the cost of manufacture doubles that
With fine grade wheat -four at or s
cents a pound there is not much chance
for potato flour to compete even II II
were as good an article. If dried pota-
toes were sold at 20 cents pound whole
sale at the factory (which would mean
25 to 80 cents pound by the time they
reached the consumer) the return to the
grower Of the potatoes would not equal
the cost of growing them. The potato
cannot compete with the corn plant as
raw material for Tactic acid manufacture.
Nor can 1t with molasses even in the
present sugar shortage and consequent
high price of edible molasses. An acre
of corn will yield 80 bushels of corn With
less care and at half the cost of 200 bush
els of potatoes. The 80 bushels of corn
will carry as many pounds of dry matter
as the 200 bushels Of potatoes. In coun-
tries where Indian corn cannot be grown
potatoes have an industrial opportunity.