France in the 1700’s banned the potato as human food and only fed them to pigs until Antoine-Augustin Parmentier, a pharmacist, championed the potato as human food. When captured during the Seven Years’ War, Parmentier was forced to eat potatoes in prison. After the war he promoted potatoes- serving them to celebrities and using fake guards in his fields creating the illusion that potatoes were valuable. Parmentier made the potato a staple in Europe. Parmentier also advanced smallpox vaccinations, and researched food preservation.
Growing Home - Antoine-Augustin Parmentier and the Potato
