Organizers reach out to dietitians, food service personnel

By MATTHEW WEAVER

Capital Press

The nutritional value of potatoes will take center stage during the upcoming Washington-Oregon Potato Conference.

Keynote speaker Dayle Hayes will talk about "Potatoes, Kids and Schools: Understanding the Science, Calming the Criticism." Her talk will be at 11 a.m. Jan. 25 during the conference, which is Jan. 23-26 at the Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick, Wash.

Hayes is a registered dietitian, writes a newspaper column and appears frequently on TV and radio as a nutrition expert. She said in a press release she supports industry efforts to allow more potatoes in school lunches.

"One of the really key issues here is that school lunches matter most to those who have the least," she said.

Conference board secretary-treasurer Karen Bonaudi said nutrition is topical considering the dispute over limiting the use of potatoes in school lunch programs.

"That was a real big win, not just for potato growers and farmers, but mainly for schools," Bonaudi said. "It's really not fair for a law to tell you what you can put on your menu or not."

The conference intends to invite dietitians and food service personnel to attend, as Hayes is knowledgeable about child nutrition and food service issues, Bonaudi said.

The Washington Potato Commission is funding an additional presentation by Hayes to Tri-Cities dietitians later in the day.

The trade show expects a record number of vendors this year.

Brian Van Pelt, chair of the conference board, said key issues for the Pacific Northwest potato industry right now include emerging pests such as the potato psyllid, which carries the bacteria that causes zebra chip. The issue will be addressed during the conference.

One of the general session presentations will focus on "sustainability audits" being conducted by companies such as McDonald's and Sysco. Companies use audits to see how growers manage their resources.

Potato growers want to fit the models, but there are many definitions of sustainability, Van Pelt said.

"It's a lot of work and it's required," he said. "They want to do it, but everybody has their own idea of what it is."

Another general session, "The Great French Fry Processing Trial," provides an update on a national trial to screen hundreds of potato varieties for their potential to form acrylamide. The potential carcinogen forms in starchy foods when cooked at high temperatures.

"It could potentially be a big issue," said Andy Jensen, director of research for the Washington Potato Commission. "Within the potato industry there is a lot of concern."

Online

Washington-Oregon Potato Conference: www.potatoconference.com