Australians Create ’Boutique’ Vodka and Export Puree from Potato Waste

Potatoes South Australia (Potatoes SA), the peak representative body for the potato industry, announces a major project for finding new ways to slash the corresponding food waste.

Potatoes SA began work on creating a new type of vodka with Adelaide Hills Distillery and the University of Adelaide last year.

They won a USD30,000 grant from the former Labor State Government with the idea of finding new ways to use potato waste, and soon began trials using potato peel, the starch cake left over after making crisps and potato water.

In fact, the starch cake sourced from PepsiCo’s Adelaide crisp factory is proving so good that Adelaide Hills Distillery is now working towards launching its unique new vodka in January.

“We’re creating a vodka with flavor that’s mindfully sourced and sustainably made,” Potatoes South Australia CEO Robbie Davis says.

Davis is also committed to another Potatoes SA project well underway with the university – this one focusing on scientifically creating a long-lasting, high-quality puree that ensures more “ugly potatoes” meet a more useful end.

At the moment, shoppers demanding perfect potatoes in supermarkets are forcing primary producers to bin up to 40% of produce. This project takes on the “ugly ducklings” and purees them, skin and all.

“What we’ve perfected is a puree which is pure potato and some water with no added color or preservatives and it will last a year if it’s chilled and has a shelf life of six months,” Robbie says, according to brandsanews.com.au.

A new company established by the association called Puree Australia is currently working out the best way to get the product to market so the industry can use more of the estimated 80,000 tones of potatoes that don’t make it into supermarkets each year.