Colourful and healthy: researchers develop two new potato varieties

Researchers have developed two new varieties of potatoes which have high nutritional value and are highly suitable for industrial processing.

Developed by the Basque Institute for Agricultural Research and Development, NEIKER-Tecnalia, a state-owned, not-for-profit public corporation, the new varieties are striking in appearance: ‘Miren’ has bright yellow flesh and ‘Entzia’ is purple.

As well as its vivid colour, Entzia is characterised by a high presence of antioxidant components and a considerable quantity of anthocyanins, a pigment with bioactive potential and reported beneficial effects for human health.

Entzia is destined mainly for the specialised and gastronomic market as well as for the foodstuff industry, as it is suitable for creating functional foods, purees and coloured fried potato chips. Its concentration of bioactive compounds - phenols and vitamin C, among others - and its antioxidant capacity are significantly higher than in conventional varieties. Entzia also has a high concentration of iron, zinc, potassium and magnesium, with a 100 g portion of the fresh potato containing about 25% of the recommended daily intake (RDI) of iron and zinc plus 17% and 22% of the RDI of potassium and magnesium.

The Miren variety performs well during the cooking process, has a good flavour and a firm, smooth texture. Its concentration of carotenes is higher than that of the ordinary commercial varieties. Its commercial potential is further enhanced by its high output, ease of washing, oval shape, striking yellow colour and its superficial eyes.

Another feature of the Entzia and Miren varieties is their increased resistance to disease, mainly to the ‘Y’ potato virus and pectobacterium atrosepticum, respectively.