Progress 10/01/08 to 06/30/12
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Over the life of the project I worked with the following potato breeders Dr. Walter DeJong, at Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, Dr. Kathy Haynes, at the USDA Research Station in Beltsville, Maryland, Dr. David Douches, at Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan and Dr. David Holm, located at Colorado State University, San Luis Valley Research, Center, Colorado all excellent potato breeders who have some of most excellent specialty potato lines in their breeding programs. The lines that were of interest over the life of the project were lines that skin and flesh colors were red/red,purple/purple,purple/yellow, white/yellow and red/yellow. Every fall I contacted them to ask what advanced lines or name varieties they felt could be used in producing color potato chips. I then requested small 20 lb. samples of the lines that could be evaluated in a replicated trials at the Horticulture Research Farm each summer. To evaluate the lines for suitability as chips the small frying facility located in the Horticulture Department has been upgraded so that the lines can be chipped and evaluated for color and taste and preliminary consumer acceptance. PARTICIPANTS: Dr. Bruce Dye, at Penn State, University Park, PA; Dr. William Lamont, Penn State, University Park, PA; Dr. Walter DeJong at Cornell University, Ithaca, New York; Dr. Kathy Haynes at the USDA Research Station in Beltsville, Maryland; Dr. David Douches at Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan; and Dr. David Holm at Colorado State University, San Luis Valley Research, Center, Colorado. TARGET AUDIENCES: Information shared at the Potato Session at the Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Conference and with potato growers via the Vegetable and Small Fruit Gazette and regional and local county extension meetings. Also dialogue continued over the life of the project with potato chip companies on the potential of incorporating color potato chips into their existing line of products and also with entrepreneurs in the city of Philadelphia about setting up a small chip facility to make the colored chips for the local university sports teams. The next step is for potential entrepreneurs that can take the project to the next level of actually making it a reality. Also we worked with politicians and community leaders over the life of the project to see if the necessary seed money to get the project underway was available. We also worked with personnel at the universities and colleges in the city that could potentially participate in the program. Over the life of the project we sought out potato growers that would be needed to supply the potatoes to the chipping facility. We also sought out expertise from the existing chip or snack food companies located in Pennsylvania that could be involved in this project as a community outreach and training program. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
During the duration of the project we searched for the right potato varieties or experimental lines that had the flesh colors desired for university/school colors. These have been identified such as some excellent lines from Dr. David Holm, Potato Breeder from Colorado State University. The key during the project was to identify lines or varieties that have a consistent deep purple flesh,red flesh or yellow flesh color that when chipped give the desired color of the chips. As I stated I firmly believe that the key to development of the colored potato chip market is to link it with sports teams, especially football. In pursuit of this objective we have approached several entrepreneurs in the City of Philadelphia with the idea about developing a small potato chip company associated with community development and engagement that would produce and market the chips to the colleges and universities in the city. An example would be Temple University whose school colors are red and white or University of Pennsylvania whose colors are red and blue. The idea would be to have the chips available during the football season terminating at the end of the bowl games in January. This would eliminate the need for long term storage and year around procurement of the colored potatoes which is a more difficult undertaking. It could also be another opportunity for our potato growers in the counties that surround Philadelphia to supply the colored potatoes to the facility. We have the potato varieties what we need is the next step of developing the small potato chip facility in the city. Utz Chip Company located in Pennsylvania,produced red,white and blue potato chips for the 4th of July which is another idea but only a one time happening for a specific holiday market.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 10/01/10 to 09/30/11
Outputs
OUTPUTS: I continue to work with the following potato breeders Dr. Walter DeJong, at Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, Dr. Kathy Haynes, at the USDA Research Station in Beltsville, Maryland, Dr. David Douches, at Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan and Dr. David Holm, located at Colorado State University, San Luis Valley Research, Center, Colorado all of who have some excellent specialty potato lines in their breeding programs. The lines that I continue to be interested in investigating are lines that skin and flesh colors are red/red,purple/purple,purple/yellow, white/yellow and red/yellow. Each fall I contact them to ask what advanced lines or name varieties that they felt could be used in producing color potato chips. I then request small 20 lb. samples of the lines that can be evaluated in a replicated trial at the Horticulture Research Farm each summer. To evaluate the lines for suitability as chips the small frying facility located in the Horticulture Department has been upgraded so that the lines can be chipped in the fall 2011 and evaluated for color and taste and preliminary consumer acceptance. PARTICIPANTS: Dr. Brue Dye, at Penn State, University Park, PA; Dr. William Lamong, Penn State, University Park, PA; Dr. Walter DeJong at Cornell University, Ithaca, New York; Dr. Kathy Haynes at the USDA Research Station in Beltsville, Maryland; Dr. David Douches at Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan; and Dr. David Holm at Colorado State University, San Luis Valley Research, Center, Colorado. TARGET AUDIENCES: Information shared at the Potato Session at the Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Conference and with potato growers via the Vegetable and Small Fruit Gazette and regional and local county extension meetings. Also dialogue continues with potato chip companies on the potential of incorporating color potato chips into their existing line of products and also with entrepreneurs in the city of Philadelphia about setting up a small chip facility to make the colored chips for the local university sports teams. Potential entrepreneurs that can take the project to the next level of actually making it a reality. Also politicians that can help obtain the necessary seed money to get the project underway. Community leaders that can buy in to the project. Personnel at the universities and colleges in the city that could potentially participate in the program. Potato growers that would be needed to supply the potatoes to the chipping facility. Also expertise in he existing chip or snack food companies that could be involved in this project as a community outreach and training program. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
The right potato varieties or experimental lines that have the flesh colors desired have been identified such as some excellent lines from Dr. David Holm, Potato Breeder from Colorado State University. The key is to identify lines or varieties that have a consistent deep purple or red flesh color that when chipped give the desired color of the chips. Again I firmly believe that the key to development of the colored potato chip market is to link it with sports teams. In pursuit of this objective we have approached several entrepreneurs in the City of Philadelphia about developing a small potato chip company associated with community development and engagement that would produce and market the chips to the colleges and universities in the city. An example would be Temple University whose school colors are red and white or University of Pennsylvania whose colors are red and blue. The idea would be to have the chips available during the football season terminating at the end of the bowl games in January. This would eliminate the need for long term storage and year around procurement of the colored potatoes which is a more difficult undertaking. It could also be another opportunity for our potato growers in the counties that surround Philadelphia to supply the colored potatoes to the facility. We have the potato varieties what we need is the next step of developing the small potato chip facility in the city.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 10/01/09 to 09/30/10
Outputs
OUTPUTS: I have identified the following potato breeders Dr. Walter DeJong, at Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, Dr. Kathy Haynes, at the USDA Research Station in Beltsville, Maryland, Dr. David Douches, at Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan and Dr. David Holm, located at Colorado State University, San Luis Valley Research, Center, Colorado who all have some excellent specialty potato lines in their breeding programs. The lines that I am interested in investigating are lines that skin and flesh colors are red/red,purple/purple,purple/yellow, and red/yellow. I will contact them this fall 2010 to ask what advanced lines or name varieties that they felt could be used in producing color potato chips. I will then request small 20 lb. samples of the lines that can be evaluated in a replicated trial at the Horticulture Research Farm in the summer 2011. To evaluate the lines for suitability as chips the small frying facility located in the Horticulture Department will be upgraded this winter so that the lines can be chipped in the fall of 2011 and evaluated for color and taste and preliminary consumer acceptance. PARTICIPANTS: Bruce Dye, Research Support Associate, Department of Horticulture, Penn State University; Dr. David Holm, Colorado State University; Dr. Walter DeJong, Cornell University; Dr. David Douches, Michigan State University; Dr. William Lamont, Department of Horticulture, Penn State University. TARGET AUDIENCES: Information shared at the Potato Session at the Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Conference and with potato growers via the Vegetable and Small Fruit Gazette and regional and local county extension meetings. Also dialogue with potato chip companies on the potential of incorporating color potato chips into their existing line of products. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
Based on my previous my experience and observation, the variety Purple Majesty released from Dr. David Holm's potato breeding program at Colorado State University has been used successfully as a purple potato chip. It is currently being used as a purple chip in a Medley Pack produced by the Utz Potato Chip Company, Hanover, PA. Also it was used in Tailgater Taters produced by Corell Potato Chip Company, Beach City, OH. It will serve as the benchmark against which other purple fleshed lines will be evaluated. The identification of a red fleshed potato for chips is more elusive and needs to be identified. There are several yellow fleshed potato varieties or breeding lines that have potential to serve as the standard for yellow chips. The colored potato chips seem to have caught the fancy of the consuming public but will need to be further evaluated on a larger scale to determine the appropriate marketing channel to ensure the success of any company entertaining thoughts of marketing the colored potato chips.
Publications
- Lamont, W. J. 2010. Potato Plasticulture. 2010 Proceedings of 55th Atlantic Coast Ag Convention and Trade Show. pg. 55-57.
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Progress 10/01/08 to 09/30/09
Outputs
OUTPUTS: The use of colored specialty potatoes, those that have both a external skin and internal flesh color that is either dark purple, red, or gold are being evaluated for used as colored potato chips. The varieties evaluated this past growing season included Purple Majesty-a variety with a dark purple external skin and dark purple internal flesh color, CO97226-2R/R-a variety with a dark external red skin and dark red internal flesh color, and Yukon Gold-a variety with a light yellow external skin color and dark gold internal flesh color. Since we are producing specialty potatoes for the chip market we could use the plasticulture production system that includes plastic mulch, drip irrigation, fertigation and even fumigation but this past growing season opted for the conventional non-plasticulture production system. The reason is the additional input costs associated with the plasticulture system may not be economically viable in the chip potato market. Small quantities of Purple Majesty and CO97226-2R/R were grown at two grower locations-one in Ohio and one in Pennsylvania and Yukon Gold was grown at the Penn State Horticulture Farm. The potatoes were harvested and put into the potato storages at the growers farms. Some of the potatoes were taken out of storage and shipped to Corell, the cooperating chip company in Ohio to be chipped using a kettle. Corell is test marketing the colored chips under the name Tailgater Taters at a website www.tailgatertaters.com. This will continue until the supply of potatoes is depleted. Initial response to the chips looks favorable and additional evaluation of colored potato varieties, systems of production, and marketing strategies will continue next year. PARTICIPANTS: Dan Meenan, Corell Potato Chip Company, Beach City, Ohio, Donald Ramseur, Ramseur Potato Growers, Beach City, Ohio, Huntsinger Farms, Hegins Valley, Pennsylvania TARGET AUDIENCES: The targeted audiences are consumers of potato chips, potato chip companies and potato growers. By taking a whole systems approach to the production and marketing of colored potato chips we are reaching out to the three target audiences listed above. As more information is generated through this project it will be disseminated using a wide variety of media from presentations, to trade publications, proceedings of annual commodity meetings, and appropriate refereed publications. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
The initial response to the blue, red and gold potato chips showed that the consuming public will purchase colored potato chips. It also demonstrated that the colored potato chips need to be associated with sports and fun such as using the name Tailgater Taters. Also it was evident from feedback and comments from the consuming public that many had the perception that these chips were dyed the different colors. It made the point that in order to sell the chips a company needs to make sure that the public knows that they are naturally colored potatoes and that they grow in their place of origin, the mountains of Peru, in many different colors and shapes. This is an educational effort that needs to be reinforced at the point of purchase so that the consumer understands that the color in the chips comes from the potato and not a red, blue or gold dye. The opportunity to involve commercial potato growers in this effort is excellent as it bring a realism to the project. The potatoes were grown under grower conditions and held in grower storage which demonstrated the entire system of production that would be utilized in a commercial enterprise. The cooperating chip company provided the opportunity to evaluate the colored chips in a real world chipping environment which has and will certainly continue to yield more processing and marketing information on the potential for colored potato chips.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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