Dried Potatoes

Potato processors make dry flakes that store longer than fresh potatoes. Growers and processors also have cull tubers to use. Removing water turns this potato supply into a shelf-stable ingredient.^3,4

1. 01 // Source Potato tubers Whole potatoes, including culls from growing and processing, supply the dried potato stream.
2. 02 // Process Cooked and mashed In the flake process, potatoes are peeled, sliced, cooked and mashed before drying.
3. 03 // Process Drum dried A heated drum dries a thin layer of mash into a sheet that is broken into flakes.
4. 04 // Output Dried potato Flakes or ground powder arrive at the pet food plant with most of the water removed.

1. 01

   Supplies cooked starch

   Starch gives dogs energy after cooking. A dog trial found complete diets containing potato flakes were well digested, though the recipes differed in other ingredients too.^1,3

2. 02

   Helps form kibble

   AAFCO's consumer guide lists potatoes among the plant ingredients that supply calories and help kibbles hold together during extrusion.⁶

3. 03

   Uses existing potato supply

   Drying makes potatoes easier to store and ship. It also gives growers and processors another outlet for cull tubers.^3,4

How much A dog trial tested complete diets containing 1.5% or 26.8% dehydrated potato flakes; many other ingredients differed between diets.¹

1. Brands say

   Dried potatoes provide useful energy

   Evidence

   1. Strong
   2. Some
   3. Thin
   4. None

   Dried tubers average about 73% starch. In a 65-dog trial, complete diets containing potato flakes were well digested. Because the recipes also differed in protein and other starches, the trial cannot measure potato's contribution alone.^1,3

2. Brands say

   Potatoes add fiber that improves stools

   Outruns the evidence

   Evidence

   1. Strong
   2. Some
   3. Thin
   4. None

   Dried potato tuber averages 2.5% crude fiber on a dry basis. A 180-day trial measured stools in dogs eating potato flakes, but changed many ingredients at once. It did not isolate a stool benefit from dried potato.^1,3

3. Brands say

   Potassium in potatoes improves dog health

   Outruns the evidence

   Evidence

   1. Strong
   2. Some
   3. Thin
   4. None

   Dried tubers average 22.6 g/kg potassium on a dry basis, so they contribute some to a recipe. The dog feeding trial tested complete diets and did not demonstrate a health benefit from potato potassium.^1,3

4. Owners say

   Potatoes in kibble cause heart disease

   Outruns the evidence

   Evidence

   1. Strong
   2. Some
   3. Thin
   4. None

   FDA reports raise a diet question but do not identify potatoes as a cause. In one industry-funded trial, 60 dogs ate complete diets for 18 months and all were considered clinically normal regarding DCM. That cannot rule out risk in other recipes or dogs.^2,5

5. Brands say

   Grain-free potatoes make a healthier food

   Outruns the evidence

   Evidence

   1. Strong
   2. Some
   3. Thin
   4. None

   An industry-funded, 18-month trial compared grain-inclusive and grain-free recipes, including potato-based foods. Dogs in every group remained clinically normal regarding DCM. The study found no health advantage from replacing grain with potatoes.²