The tubers of the potato, which are the edible part, are not the root but enlarged underground stems in which starch is stored for the future use by the plant. Potatoes consume only a small amount of their own starch during winter months to maintain life functions until spring. The starch of potatoes can also be processed and extracted for use by humans. Potato starch is found in a wide variety of foods, dyes, adhesives, gums, and pharmaceuticals. Moreover, it is of great interest in the development of biodegradable and renewable plastics. Scientists have high hopes for the ecological benefits such improved plastics could produce.