Potatoes appeared 8,000 years ago on the shores of Lake Titicaca between Peru and Bolivia, but only reached Europe in 1500 on the ships of the Spanish conquistadors.

They did not enjoy the same success as other crops imported from the New World, such as corn and tomatoes. In fact, they spread through Europe and North America, but were not accepted by China, Japan and the entire Muslim world for centuries. For a long time, they were thought to be an aphrodisiac or poisonous, or a medicinal plant, but their use then evolved up to the present day and what we now know today.

Originally from the Andean highlands, potatoes were grown and selected as far back as the ancient Incas, who understood their many varieties and nutritional qualities. It is thought that there were over 3,000 wild varieties, many of which have still been preserved to this very day by descendants of the Incas and local indigenous populations. Introduced into Europe by Spanish explorers in the 16^th century, potatoes were initially considered a botanical curiosity and grown more for their flowers than as food.

Despite their nutritional potential, potatoes ran into stiff opposition in Europe: people thought they were unhealthy, poisonous and that they could cause diseases such as leprosy. Furthermore, the similarity of potato plant leaves to those of deadly nightshade and other toxic plants in the Solanaceae family helped sow the seeds of mistrust. It was only in the 18^th century, thanks to the work of agronomists such as Antoine Parmentier in France, that potatoes began to be promoted as a safe and abundant source of food. Parmentier used various stratagems, such as sowing fields of potatoes under the protection of the royal guard to attract locals’ interest and to encourage the roll-out of this crop.

Potatoes proved crucial during times of famine in Europe and their spread increased significantly during the 18^th and 19^th centuries. Versatile and nutritious, they became one of the main sources of carbohydrate for Europeans. In Ireland, potatoes became the staple crop for survival, up until the devastating “Great Potato Famine” (1845-1852), caused by blight, a fungus that destroyed crops and led to the death of millions of people.

Over time, potato-growing spread all around the world, including Asia and Africa, becoming one of the staple foods in many countries. Today, China is the main potato producer in the world, followed by India, Russia and Ukraine. Potatoes are also one of the most important crops worldwide, and varieties are still being developed to withstand diseases, pests and extreme climate conditions.

Nowadays, potatoes are widely eaten in different forms, from classic chips, mash and soups to more innovative forms such as crisps and processed snacks. Thanks to their adaptability and nutritional content, potatoes are considered a key resource for global food security and combating malnutrition, especially in the poorest parts of the world.