ABSTRACT
The scientific name for the common cultivated potato has three parts: the family, Solanaceae; the genus, Solanum; and the species, tuberosum. The cultivated potato had its origin in the Andean mountains of South America. Some other Solanum species have been shown to have originated in areas further north through Central America and into North America. The International Potato Center (CIP) was established in Lima, Peru, with one of its purposes being to gather and maintain wild and cultivated potatoes from these areas for use in developing new potato cultivars. The location of potato production in the United States has changed based on consumer needs, new markets, and technological developments. Potato starch is composed of two types of molecules, amylose and amylopectin. These molecules are composed of individual sugar molecules arranged in a specific pattern. Protein is an important component of potato tubers, even though it is present in relatively low concentration.
