Archaeologists in Peru recently made an incredible discovery that challenges our modern food storage solutions. They uncovered two freeze-dried potatoes, known as chuño, that date back roughly 500 years to the time of the Inca Empire. This find is a massive deal because it predates the founding of the United States by centuries, yet the potatoes remain in what researchers are calling “excellent” condition.
The discovery took place at the Tambo Viejo site in the Acarí Valley of southwestern Peru. According to Fox News, the findings were published in the Journal of Field Archaeology, and the preservation is so good that the potatoes still retain their shape and color, looking strikingly similar to produce you might pick up today. Lidio Valdez, an archaeology professor at the University of Calgary who led the excavation, noted that the preservation was impressive.
