You can buy potato starch from the grocery store. This is a white powder that has similar properties to flour, so it can be used to thicken sauces, for example . Or you can use it to make glue. The name "potato starch" already tells you that the starch comes from potatoes. But how do you get the starch out of the potatoes?
How do you get the starch out of the potato?
You will need
- 4-5 medium potatoes
- 1 grater
- 2 plastic bowls
- 1 tea towel
- 1 refractory dish, e.g. small casserole dish
Let’s get started!
1. Peel the potatoes
Peel the potatoes and make sure that you work cleanly – that way you can still use them after the experiment.
2. Grate the potatoes
Use the grater to grate the peeled potatoes into a plastic bowl. Take care of your fingers so that you don't hurt yourself on the grater!
3. Mix with water
Add 300 ml of water to the grated potatoes and stir the mixture with a tablespoon for 5 minutes.
4. Squeeze out the juice
Place a kitchen towel over a second plastic bowl and pour the grated potatoes and water over the towel in the second bowl. Use the cloth to wring the grated potatoes over the bowl and collect the juice in it.
5. Repeat
Pour the squeezed potato mixture back into the first bowl, add 200 ml of water and stir. Put the cloth over the other bowl again and pour the mash over it. Press it out again with the cloth. After squeezing, leave the squeezed juice to stand for 5-10 minutes until the starch settles at the bottom.
If you have worked cleanly, you can use the grated potatoes to make potato pancakes.
5. Drain the water
Slowly and carefully pour the juice into the sink. Make sure that the starch sticks to the bottom of the plastic bowl. Scrape the starch into an ovenproof dish and dry it in the oven at 50°C.
Did you know?
Making adhesives from plants, is that possible?
Answer:
Yes, there is a whole range of plant substances from which adhesives can be made. Even the Stone Age people used birch pitch to glue their spearheads. Tree resins are inherently very sticky, as anyone who has ever touched a resinous branch knows. Starch is also an important raw material. This is contained in a great many plants: Potatoes, grains and lentils are great sources of starch. Sugar can also be used in adhesives. Sugar is obtained from sugarcane, for example.
