Scientists from the Poznań University of Life Sciences have discovered compounds in regular potato juice that could transform people’s lives. These compounds can potentially aid in the battle against cancer, reduce intestinal inflammation, and produce meat substitutes.

Dr. Przemysław Kowalczewski has been analyzing the product’s healing effects for years. The ‘Award of the City of Poznań for an outstanding doctoral and master’s thesis competition recognized his study in 2017. His paper, ‘Characterization of potato juice as an ingredient of health-promoting food,’ which was developed under the guidance of Dr. hab. engineer Anna Olejnik and Prof. Ph.D. engineer Grażyna Lewandowicz and defended at the University of Life Sciences in Poznań, was then awarded to him.

According to the scientist, potato juice has long been utilized in traditional treatment in German-speaking nations. – It was given ‘for ulcers’ and used by medicine men to treat gastrointestinal disorders. According to our research, the substances it contains do lessen the inflammation of the digestive tract in patients suffering from inflammatory bowel disease.

Poznań experts initially examined the juice’s characteristics in the lab before arriving at this result. It is 95% water, with the remaining 5% made up of mineral compounds, vitamins, phenolic compounds, glycoalkaloids, and protein (which, as Dr. Kowalczewski stresses, has a very high nutritional value).

Then, using in vitro studies—that is, testing conducted on cell lines—they examined its impact. In collaboration with the Medical University of Warsaw, researchers also performed in vivo studies on an animal model after discovering that the substances in the juice might benefit specific cells. In Poznań, K. Marcinkowski. The final step was to assess their effectiveness with individuals.

“Currently, we have seven patented food products enriched with ingredients from potato juice. These include pasta, crispbread, corn crisps, cream soup, pork pate and sausage. We have developed all recipes in cooperation with the Greater Poland Colitis Ulcerosa and Crohn’s Disease Association. We have eliminated raw materials that are not useful for sick people and added properly processed, concentrated, and dried potato juice. For several weeks, volunteers received food prepared this way. It turned out that their levels of CRP protein, which is a good indicator of inflammation, decreased. Which means our products work,” Dr. Przemysław Kowalczewski explained.

Killing Cancer Cells

However, this is not the end of this kind of juice’s health benefits. It was discovered that the components it contains might be cytotoxic to cell lines of gastrointestinal cancer. They can, in other words, destroy cancer cells. It’s interesting that they have a considerably milder effect on intestinal cells that are healthy, as confirmed by researchers from Poznań. Accordingly, including them in chemotherapy may lessen its discomfort and adverse effects.

Scientists are becoming less enthusiastic about drinking a glass of potato juice every day since they know it won’t cure cancer. Juice can be consumed, but it must be properly prepared beforehand. Dr. Kowalczewski mentioned that raw potato starch is not digested by the human body. As a result, the juice should either be thoroughly filtered after being squeezed or the starch should be allowed to sink to the bottom of the glass. The leftover liquid can then be ingested.

Potato Sausage

Meat alternatives can also be made with potato juice. Three products—sausage, gyros, and a burger—were successfully produced by Dr. Przemysław Kowalczewski and his colleagues after years of research. All of these products have already undergone testing, he said.

“There are more and more vegan products on the market that are tasty and visually appealing. However, their nutritional value often falls short compared to meat. Our goal was to create a nutritious product containing health-promoting compounds,” explained Dr. Kowalczewski, who has spent years studying the medicinal properties of potato juice.

Despite potato proteins having a good amino acid profile, they are difficult to process, making them less common in food production. Their disadvantages include a potato-like smell and a gray color. Extra work was needed to mitigate these traits, such as mixing the proteins with others.

The key ingredient in all these meatless products is potato juice, chosen for both its health benefits and its ecological advantages. The research team, consisting of around 20 members, worked on different stages of the project to ensure the right balance of fatty acids and nutritional value. Consumer tests confirmed that the potato-based sausage not only mimics the taste of meat but also offers a healthier alternative.