Four of Australia’s potato producers are partnering with the Fight Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) to save up to 100,000 tonnes of potatoes going to waste each year, aiming to convert the waste into commercial opportunities.
The Mitolo Group, Zerella Fresh, Thomas Foods International Fresh Produce and The South Australian Potato Company, will join Potatoes South Australia Inc. and the University of Adelaide to invest nearly $1 million in research and development for the project, with a particular focus on potato starch.
“Potato starch is used broadly across the food industry, from bioplastics and packaging, to coatings and adhesives,” said CEO Potatoes South Australia, Robbie Davis.
“We also want to use the waste from the waste, so after extracting the potato starch, there will be further opportunities using the residual waste from this first stage.”
Davis said up to 40 per cent of potatoes are rejected for not meeting “retail specification”, while Australia imports 20,000 tonnes of potato starch each year.
The potential development in the Australian potato starch industry could provide additional revenue of $1000 a tonne for extracted starch for potato companies, instead of the $0-10 value a tonne for the waste.
University of Adelaide professor Vincent Bulone will lead the research project and said existing research has suggested the less digestible starches in potatoes can be used to make “super prebiotics that help prevent infections”, as well as using the skins of potatoes having for commercial products such as nutraceuticals.
Fight Food Waste CRC CEO Dr Steven Lapidge said he was excited to have the project underway so early in the Fight Food Waste CRC’s journey, which first started in July 2018.
“We’re looking to develop new products from current waste streams that will deliver additional profit to potato producers through domestic and export sales,” said Lapidge.
“Through investing in research and development we aim to deliver new high-value commercial opportunities for the participants of this project.”
In August, the CRC partnered with Food Innovation Australia Limited (FIAL) and the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fishers for a $200,000 grant program to help SMEs tackle food waste.
