Get more out of potatoes
Surplus potatoes from production.
Before potatoes end up on a customer’s plate in a restaurant, a lot has already been cut away. Wherever a hungry diner happens to be in Finland, there is a high probability that their potato peelings are still in Kristinestad.
Every year, 35 million kilograms of potatoes are brought through the gates of Öströmin Perunatuote in Kristinestad. At the factory, the potatoes are washed and inspected, after which large machines peel them. Depending on the customer’s needs, the potatoes can also be cut to the desired size and shape, after which they can be pre-cooked hygienically in packages weighing several kilograms. Trucks transport these potato products from the factory to commercial kitchens and restaurants, where they are served as delicious, fully prepared meals to hungry diners.
However, almost half of the potatoes are removed during peeling and other processing, as the end products must look flawless, uniform, and of equal size. Only 20 million kilograms of the 35 million kilograms of potatoes are used to make the end product for sale.
Potato peelings and other discarded parts are not wasted, but they are fed to animals. Something more valuable could surely be made from them.
“Developing the utilisation of side streams is only interesting if it can be turned into a profitable business. We haven’t gotten there yet,” says Sami Öström, CEO of Öströmin Perunatuote.
CEO Sami Öström presents the finished products.
Öström does see potential opportunities. One possibility would be to produce biogas suitable for energy production, either directly or by first feeding the potato peelings to livestock and then producing biogas from the animal manure. Potato peelings are also suitable for other animals, such as commercially farmed maggots.
The good nutritional content of potatoes could offer even greater commercial opportunities, as 100 grams of the discarded part contains about 1.6–1.9 grams of protein. The amino acid composition of potato protein is excellent and can be efficiently utilised by humans. Potato peels are also a healthy source of carbohydrates, fibre, vitamins, and minerals, even though most of the potato is water.
However, utilising potato production side streams requires partners.
“Our main job is to develop actual products, as this is the most important aspect of the company’s operations, and a solution for utilising side streams already exists. But we are very positive about finding solutions with our partners to make even better use of side streams,” says Öström.
Öströmin Perunatuote
Öströmin Perunatuote, based in Kristinestad, peels, cuts, and pre-cooks potatoes for commercial kitchens, restaurants, and the food industry.
It produces around 20 million kilograms of potato products annually, requiring 35 million kilograms of raw potatoes from producers.
Founded in 1991, the family-owned business employs approximately 50 permanent staff members, 45 contract farmers, and several subcontractors.
New business from nature
We create new business opportunities for farmers, forest owners, and fish processors by utilising production that is otherwise underutilised or completely wasted. We bring together researchers, processing companies, and entrepreneurs from the agricultural, forestry, and fishing sectors. At Business Kristinestad, we are developing the KristinaEco Living Lab operating environment for the Kristinestad region.