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Potato, a source of protein, carbohydrates, potassium and vitamin C, is the fourth most consumed food in the world. For this reason, Cristina Moncayo, a chemical engineer from Universidad Nacional de Colombia, developed a method to create different preparation varieties for four of the most consumed potato species in Colombia (diploid, sabanera, R-12 and pastusa). As a result of her labor, she created an instant mashed potato with flavors based on the dehydration of this tuber.
"I tried to find attractive alternatives for the consumption of potato, especially for children, aiming at popularizing the consumption of mashed potatoes, making it cheap and beneficial for both, consumers and producers," asserted the researcher.
Taking into account all the diverse recipes used to prepare this tuber, the specialist in Food Science and Technology, created instant mashed potatoes with oregano and spices, cheese, and a special sweet variety with wine and strawberries.
"The idea was to create a sweet version too, since it is not well known in Colombia, but in Peru, there are different recipes for sweet potato, so this is a way to increase its consumption," explained Moncayo.
Dehydration
For creating the instant mashed potatoes, it is necessary to classify, clean, peel and cut the potatoes, then potatoes have be cooked and antioxidants and conservants have to be added in order to prevent enzymatic browning. The dehydration process is made through a system of pressure rollers (between 30 and 45 psi). The temperature and pressure reduce the water content, producing some sort of flakes that, when rehydrated, become into a homogeneous paste for the mashed potatoes.
"We performed some sensorial tests (taste, appearance, aroma), and it was determined that the most adequate varieties for the different types of potato are oregano with cheese for salt recipes, and strawberries and heavy cream for sweet recipes," mentioned the engineer.
Due to the low presence of water and additives used, the instant mashed potatoes last, in average, at least one year. It is just necessary to add water or milk and put it in the microwave.