What Happens to a Potato Between a Dirt Field and a Frozen Bag?

What share of US potatoes become frozen products, and how many of those are french fries? A little more than one-third of the US potato crop is frozen, and 85 percent of that frozen portion is french fries. The film follows one crop from a dirt field to a frozen bag. This video tracks one potato crop through a factory built to turn truckloads of potatoes into fries. Every step on the line decides something you notice at the table, including the color of the fry and its crunch. Watch to see how a field crop ends up in the freezer instead of the produce aisle. In this video: How much of the US potato crop is turned into frozen products (USDA Economic Research Service) Why 85 percent of those frozen products are french fries The journey of a potato from a dirt field to a frozen bag How a french fry factory line shapes the color and crunch of the fry What happens to truckloads of potatoes, step by step, inside the plant What surprised you most about how french fries are made? Tell us in the comments, and say whether you buy them frozen or eat them at a restaurant. Subscribe to Harvest Ledger for more films on how one everyday food is produced at industrial scale, told through real numbers.