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Bacteria Threatens Potato Chips
August 04, 2008 08:48 AM
A disease spreading through potato crops is causing potato chips to develop zebralike stripes when cooked.
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“Zebra chip” disease has no known risks to human health, but it’s not doing the potato industry any good. The condition causes potatoes to turn brown and develop stripes, especially when fried into potato chips. Potato growers have recorded millions of dollars in losses from zebra chip because they cannot sell infected potatoes.
The disease has been detected in the United States, Guatemala and New Zealand. Scientists are not sure how it’s spreading, but they believe tiny insects called psyllids are transmitting the bacteria that may be behind the bizarre-looking spuds. Psyllids are light enough to travel in the wind, so it’s possible they may have blown into other countries, The Economist explains.
The problem now is that if zebra chip spreads even farther with no means to stop it from infecting potatoes, “the potato crisp itself could become an endangered species.”
The food industry has endured a difficult year worldwide. The Myanmar cyclone damaged rice crops, a fungus threatened U.S. banana supplies, tomato growers underwent a salmonella scare and honeybee death rates increased.
The disease has been detected in the United States, Guatemala and New Zealand. Scientists are not sure how it’s spreading, but they believe tiny insects called psyllids are transmitting the bacteria that may be behind the bizarre-looking spuds. Psyllids are light enough to travel in the wind, so it’s possible they may have blown into other countries, The Economist explains.
The problem now is that if zebra chip spreads even farther with no means to stop it from infecting potatoes, “the potato crisp itself could become an endangered species.”
The food industry has endured a difficult year worldwide. The Myanmar cyclone damaged rice crops, a fungus threatened U.S. banana supplies, tomato growers underwent a salmonella scare and honeybee death rates increased.
Headline Links: Researching the zebra chip problem
While investigating a psyllid infection in peppers and tomatoes in New Zealand, researchers found a new species of Candidatus bacteria, which infects many types of plants. After that, Biosecurity New Zealand reported that the bacteria had also been found in potatoes. Genetic markers for the bacteria were sent to the United States, where scientists confirmed that the same bacteria had affected Texas potato fields.
Source: The Economist
Zebra chip changes sugar levels in a potato. When cooked, the sugars caramelize, turn the chip brown (as though it had been burned) and give it an “off taste,” according to Science Daily. Researchers trying to learn how to control the problem say they hope to have some answers for potato growers by the end of 2008.
Source: Science Daily
Background: Looking for a culprit
Zebra chip disease was first reported in Mexican potato fields in 1994. The condition was found in Texas in 2000, and it has continued spreading to other states. In 2007, researchers from the United States Department of Agriculture were investigating whether tiny insects called psyllids were behind the disease.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture
Reference: Potato chips
Potato chips were invented in New York in 1853 when a patron at Moon’s Lake House requested fried potatoes with his meal. The potatoes were sliced too thick for his liking, so he sent them back to the cook, George Crum, who was offended that someone had complained about his food. Crum, known for being grumpy, sliced the next batch of potatoes extremely thin, fried them to a crisp and salted them. What was meant to be a “stunt” became a hit.
Source: Snack Food Association
© 2008 Dulcinea Media, Inc.
