PW-ACTUA Chinese enquire about Dutch seed potatoes Mongolia: Mr Sun Huimin, deputy secretary-general of Inner Mongolia and Chi Bo, director of the trust office of the Inner Mongolia Science and Technology Department. The purpose of their visit was to get an informed view of the potato sector in the Netherlands, which may set an example for the local governments in China. Sun Huimin presents NAO director René van Diepen with a souvenir from Inner Mongolia: a portrait of Genghis Khan who united the Mongol tribes in 1206 and founded the Mongol Empire. Towards the end of 2010, the Netherlands Potato Consultative Foundation (NIVAP) received visitors from Inner China wants its potato acreage to have expanded to 8 million hectares by 2015. This is what the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture has set out for the potato sector in a longterm plan. That should provide a national production of 150 million tons of potatoes. The current production is 65 million tons per year. This is more than 20 percent of the total world production of potatoes. Inner Mongolia is an autonomous region within China, bordering on Mongolia and Russia in the north. The north of this region is the main potato growing area in China, especially for seed potatoes. NIVAP’s country manager Sierd Folkertsma thinks it encouraging that these important people are seeking to know more about the Dutch situation. ● Machine factory D.T. Dijkstra taken over by Agrimach Machine factory D.T. Dijkstra BV in Emmeloord has been taken over by Agrimach. This is a new Dutch investment company engaged in long-term investments in machine factories for the agricultural sector. It is AgriMach’s intention to use Dijkstra’s know-how and experience for further international growth. Because of their experience and involvement, former owners, Maartje Dijkstra and Robert Ponte will continue to lead the company, also after the change of ownership. To further enhance the company’s commercial strength, Jurrien Overheul will start his duties as commercial manager by mid-October. Machine factory D.T. Dijkstra BV has had its place of business at Landbouwkade, Emmeloord since 1971. Since 1926, the company has developed into a global player in the field of grading, transportation, washing and storage facilities for potatoes, onions and other tuber vegetables. ‘Our work is founded on grading accuracy, reliability and specialisation in customised services when setting up grading warehouse space based on our well-deserved good reputation. By regularly placing on the market technology and machinery that we ourselves have developed, we have succeeded in broadening our product range and strengthening our market position’, Dijkstra told us. Business operations will continue to be run from Emmeloord. Land has already been purchased for the possible expansion of the business premises. ● Lactic acid bacteria slow down formation of acrylamide It was announced this month that Zeracryl, a small research laboratory in Norway, has developed a method to greatly reduce the acrylamide content in potatoes. According to the laboratory, this is done with the help of lactic acid bacteria. When potatoes are heated, acrylamide is formed as a result of a reaction between the amino acid asparagine and sugars such as glucose and fructose. As is wellknown, lactic acid bacteria convert sugars into lactic acid. By adding them to potatoes, they can prevent the formation of acrylamide through removing the sugars. The effect of lactic acid bacteria has been known for some time, but the point is to know when and where to use them. You add the bacteria ten to fifteen minutes before cooking/heating the potatoes and the result is that the acrylamide content is 90 percent lower than if you had not used the lactic acid. Potato World 2011 • number 1 9 Pagina 8
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