News from CRIS: Trending - Potato Protein

May 11, 2021

What is potato protein?

While whole potatoes are not typically noted for their protein-rich properties, like other vegetable proteins on the market, such as pea protein isolate and soybean proteins, potatoes can offer us a powerful protein punch. 
 
Potatoes come in many varieties, and we value different potatoes for their unique qualities. Potatoes typically used to make potato protein are called starch potatoes. Starch potatoes provide the ideal characteristics needed to produce the liquid required to make potato protein (1).
 

How do manufacturers make potato protein? 

After removing potato starch, manufacturers are left with what’s called potato fruit juice (PFJ), a liquid (1). 
 
Then the PFJ is dried using one of a few drying methods such as spray drying at specific temperatures, vacuum freeze drying, fluid-bed drying, atmospherically freeze-drying, or another process (1,2). 
 
The drying process will produce a product, sometimes a powder and manufacturers will use it in products. 
 
If the potato protein powder isn’t the right consistency for human foods, manufacturers can often use it in livestock feeds. 

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