The many different varieties of potato have played an important role in the human diet for centuries. Central and South American civilizations such as the Inca relied on the potato. In the 1600s the potato was brought to Europe by Spanish conquistadors where it flourished as a crop throughout the continent. Today the potato is an important crop in over 100 countries and is grown on every continent except Antarctica. The United States produces more potatoes (442 million cwt in 2014) than any other vegetable, with Idaho and Washington state leading the way (USDA). The North American potato market is made up of five types of supplies; frozen suppliers, chip-stock, dehydrated, table stock and seed suppliers (Potatoes USA). Each supplier component has many large potato producing companies. Sixty percent of potatoes are sold by processors for French fries, dehydrated potatoes, and chips (AMRC). The growth in sales of processed potatoes such as French fries and chips shows the growing American and international preference for this type of potato product. Worldwide and in the United States, demand for potatoes has been slowly increasing in the past 10 years, particularly in the processed sector. The United States exported $182 million worth of raw potatoes and $1 billion in processed potatoes in …show more content…
The products are full of saturated fats, processed meat, and sodium The obesity epidemic in the United States can be directly tied to the increase in fast food consumption. Fast-food is similar to tobacco in that it temporarily satisfies a craving for salt and sugar but leaves the consumer wanting more. Fast-food products should be regulated by size, fat content and sodium content. These regulations and standards would address the obesity, diabetes and heart disease epidemic that is currently bankrupting the American health care