MOSCOW, August 13 (RIA Novosti) - Belarusian shoppers may soon get new potato breeds, which will brighten up the traditional range with blue, pink and purple colors, Minsk Novosti news website reports.
Belarusian scientists have developed new types of traditional local bulbs with colored flesh, but the quality of the new blue, pink and purple breeds will be no different than that of the common white-yellow ones, says Ivan Kolyadko, the Head of the Research Centre for Potato Cultivation and Horticulture at the Belarusian Academy of Sciences.
After nine years of selective breeding, the new potatoes are ready to undergo state testing. If successful, the bulbs will be used for making chips, crisps and instant mashed potatoes.
“Bul’ba” - the Belarusian name for potato, is widely used in the local cuisine. The most popular dish in Belarus is “draniki” – savory pancakes made from grated potatoes, eggs and flour.