The global potato industry has changed dramatically over the past half century—the potato-planting area in Poland decreased from 2,819,200 hectares in 1961 to 188,580 hectares in 2023, representing a 1394.96% relative decrease; South Africa’s potato production increased from 332,000 tons in 1961 to 2.42 million tons in 2023, representing a 627.60% relative increase. This study provides a comprehensive comparison of the potato-processing industries in China and major global producers. The global potato-processing market was valued at USD 40.97 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach USD 60.08 billion by 2031, with significant variations in production and consumption patterns across countries. As the world’s largest potato producer, China processes approximately 15% of its total potato output, whereas India, the second-largest producer, processes only about 7%. In contrast, developed countries such as the United States, Canada, and leading European nations—including Germany, the Netherlands, France, and Belgium—demonstrate significantly higher levels of processing, underpinned by advanced technologies, automation, and efficient quality-control systems. In order to conduct an in-depth analysis of the competitiveness of China’s potato-processing industry, this paper employs the Diamond Model to carry out relevant research. Despite rapid progress, China’s potato-processing industry still lags behind these global leaders in key aspects such as automation, production efficiency, and product quality. Differences remain evident in major processed potato products, including French fries, potato chips, potato flakes, and starch, as well as in raw-material supply chains, environmental sustainability, and market competitiveness. However, China’s role in the global potato-processing industry is evolving. A major milestone was reached in 2022 when China became a net exporter of frozen French fries for the first time, signaling a shift in its position in the international market. This transformation highlights China’s emergence as a key player in global French fry exports and suggests a potential restructuring of the industry. While challenges remain, the growing acceptance of Chinese French fries in international markets reflects improving product quality. Future industry trends point toward increased automation, product innovation, circular economy practices, and greater international market integration. To enhance its competitiveness, China must further modernize its processing industry, adopt cutting-edge technologies, strengthen quality control, and expand its global footprint to secure a stronger position in the evolving international potato-processing landscape.

The variations in flavor substances across different varieties of steamed potatoes were determined by headspace-gas chromatography ion mobility spectrometry (HS-GC-IMS) combined with sensory evaluation. Results showed that 63 representative compounds, including 27 aldehydes, 14 alcohols, 12 ketones, 4 esters, 2 furans, 1 acid and others, together acted as contributors to the flavors in steamed potatoes. Analysis found that species and concentrations of aldehydes, alcohols and ketones in six varieties were the most abundant. In addition, esters, furans and acid were also responsible for flavor. PCA results showed that volatile compounds in Atlantic, Longshu No. 23, Longshu No. 7 and Longshu No. 14 were similar, while Russet Burbank and Longshu No. 16 had distinct characteristic volatiles, which was consistent with sensory evaluation. The combination of sensory evaluation and HS-GC-IMS provided useful knowledge for charactering volatile compounds of steamed potatoes from different varieties, and also demonstrated the promising application of HS-GC-IMS in the detection of potato flavor with various cooking methods.

Potatoes are the fourth major food crop in the world. Higher levels of glycoside alkaloids (GAs) lead to detrimental effects on the edibility and processing qualities. GAs are largely influenced by light; however, the mechanisms of this regulation by light are not well understood. By analyzing the bioinformatics of the phytochrome genes (PHYs) in potatoes, its expression level, the content of GAs and the correlation between them under different lights, this study aims to reveal the specific mechanism of light-regulated GAs accumulation and provide a theoretical basis for improved potato processing. Results based on high-performance liquid chromatography and imaging mass microscopy showed that red light induced a significant increase in α-chaconine and α-solanine accumulation compared to white light, but there was almost no accumulation in the dark within 12 days. Meanwhile, a bioinformatic analysis of PHY gene family members was performed, and the results showed that the five StPHYs were distributed on chromosomes 1, 2, 5, 7 and 10, with amino acid counts ranging from 704 to 1130. StPHYs genes have abundant light-responsive elements. Also, the expression patterns of StPHYs were dramatically induced by red light. Additionally, a correlation analysis showed that the GAs accumulation was significantly correlated with StPHYs expression. This research is useful for comprehending the metabolism of GAs regulated by light and monitoring food safety in potatoes.

Lilium polysaccharides (LLP) exhibited various biological activities. However, the low bioavailability of polysaccharides limits their effectiveness in practical applications. To enhance their functionality and bioavailability, polysaccharides from Lanzhou lily (Lilium davidii var. willmottiae (E.H. Wilson) Raffill) bulbs were purified and chemically synthesized into polysaccharide-Fe (III) complexes in this study. Then, the structural characterization, physicochemical properties, thermal stability and digestibility of LLP-Fe (III) were systematically evaluated to assess its potential as an iron supplement. Results showed that LLP-Fe (III) had a higher molecular weight than LLP, with a monosaccharide composition dominated by mannose and glucose at a molar ratio of 1:1.23. LLP-Fe (III) was also revealed to have significantly enhanced thermal stability. FT-IR analysis confirmed the chelation between Fe (III) and carboxyl and hydroxyl groups in LLP through stable Fe−OOH bonds. Scanning electron microscopy displayed a dense morphology with smooth and small particles in LLP-Fe (III). Furthermore, in vivo simulated digestion tests indicated superior gastrointestinal stability and acid tolerance of LLP-Fe (III). These findings suggested that the polysaccharide-Fe (III) complexes hold promise as a novel iron supplement with potential health benefits.