Humble potatoes are a rich source not only of dietary carbohydrates for humans, but also of starches for numerous industrial applications. Scientists are learning how to alter the ratio of potatoes' ...

Potato starch is the extracted starch from potatoes. The starch turns to a light, powdery, flour-like consistency once it has dried out, and it is a common ingredient that features in several recipes.

If you’ve ever grated a pound of potatoes—say, for latkes—and soaked them in water until you’re ready to fry, you may have noticed some white, powdery stuff sinking to the bottom of the bowl. That, my ...