Commission funds testing of potato nutrition

WSU tests body's nutrient absorption

COLUMBIA BASIN - Professors from Washington State University are testing the body's absorption of antioxidants from potatoes.

If the study proves humans absorb the nutrients, geneticists from the United States Department of Agriculture could breed potatoes with increased concentration of the nutrients.

Nutritionist Boon Chew and Research Geneticist Roy Navarre reported to the Washington State Potato Commission and other entities Tuesday on their work. The commission is funding two separate research projects: one to breed potatoes and one to examine antioxidant absorption.

The researchers stopped by the Columbia Basin Herald to talk about their work, along with Washington Potato Commission Assistant Executive Director Karen Bonaudi.

Bonaudi said it is no news that potatoes contain nutrients.

"The exciting part about this is now they are proving that (the nutrients) are working in your body," she said.

Volunteers are consuming a serving of potatoes daily for six weeks. Some volunteers are eating white potatoes, some are eating yellow potatoes, and some are eating purple potatoes.

The health of an individual depends greatly on immune-system response, Chew said. The study is going to look at how the potato impacts response.

"We want to be able to show that potato consumption is good for you from a health standpoint," said Chew, who works in Washington State University's department of food science and human nutrition.

He noted just because a potato has the nutrients doesn't prove the nutrients are being absorbed by the body.

Navarre, a research geneticist for the United States Department of Agriculture who works from a lab in Prosser, said if researchers at Washington State University prove the nutrients of a particular type of potato are being absorbed into the body, he can find ways to increase the nutritional content of the potato.

The Prosser lab has been researching potatoes for more than three years.

Navarre said one nutritional area the department is looking at is the folic acid content of potatoes. Worldwide, people are deficient in folic acid and most pregnant women take a folic acid supplement, Navarre said. Baby potatoes are particularly high in folic acid.

In addition to the antioxidant test portion of the university project, a sensory test was conducted to see how palatable the potato is to the public.