Approximately 80% of the potatoes in the US are processed and distributed as frozen French fries. The average American consumes 29 pounds (13.15 kg) of frozen French fries each year. Frozen French fries are also the most exported potato product in the US and in 2009, over 3 billion pounds (1.37 billion kg) of French fries were exported. The popularity of frozen potato products is thought to have started in the 1950s, with the invention of freezing technology, combined with an increase in fast food restaurants that heavily feature fries. In 1970, processed potato products officially surpassed fresh potatoes in terms of American consumption.
More about potatoes:
- Potatoes are the fourth most widely eaten crop throughout the entire world and the most consumed vegetable crop.
- Two states, Idaho and Washington, account for over half of all the potatoes grown in the US.
- Fresh potato annual per capita consumption in the US reached an all-time high of 81 pounds (36.74 kg) in 1960, and declined to an average of 42 pounds (19.1 kg) in the 2000s.