NEW ZEALAND-PURPLE POTATO’S.
NEW Zealand potato breeder Plant and Food Research has added a new attractive purple skinned variety to its range, which may have added health benefits.
With a vivid purple skin and distinctive speckled purple flesh inside, Purple Heart was one of 16 cultivars bred by Plant and Food which were specially grown together in a plot at the South Island Agricultural Field Days.
"We wanted to highlight potatoes at the field days because we’ve just come out of the Year of the Potato, and had the World Potato Congress on in Christchurch,’’ said Plant and Food business manager Ivan Lawrie.
He said potatoes were one of the Crown Research Institute’s (CRI) biggest and most successful breeding programmes, with sites at Lincoln and Pukekohe under breeders Russell Genet and John Anderson.
Plant and Food is the only potato breeder in New Zealand.
The breeders work very closely with the fresh potato market and potato processors. "They are very much under the guidelines on what the market demands. That’s been their success.’’
Mr Lawrie says there had been a lot of inquiries about Purple Heart. "We think it will have a niche in the gourmet restaurant trade and among the health conscious.’’
The health qualities of
potatoes are being studied with a view to producing cultivars with more health giving properties. Plant and Food’s varieties are currently being analysed for the various antioxidants.
The colouring in Purple Heart is caused by anthocyanin, the antioxidant found in red, blue and purple produce such as blueberries, beetroot, red cabbage and purple grapes, which is thought to have cancer fighting properties.
He said Purple Heart is a normal potato in terms of growing and is relatively high yielding. It is quite large for a coloured potato and is smooth skinned. "It tends to complete the portfolio of products we have on offer.’’
The different potato varieties have become very user specific. Varieties like Lone Ranger and Bondi are targeted at the chip market.
"For the french fry market we are looking for a high dry matter, a large rectangular tuber and good storage quality.
"The fresh market is more focused on good taste, ease of cooking and a lack of sloughing in the pot. Varieties like Red Rascal and Driver are targeted towards the fresh market.
