A Manchester University microbiology team now hopes the compound, dubbed ‘potato juice’ could go into production as a daily diet supplement. Inspiration came as one of the department’s scientists tucked into a spud for Sunday lunch.

It led to the discovery of a key molecule which could both cure and prevent the bacteria that lives in the stomach and causes stomach ulcers and heartburn.Uniquely, unlike with anti-biotics, the gut bug cannot develop resistance to the ‘potato juice’ which also does not cause any side-effects. Scientists even carried out the test on different types of potatoes—discovering that Maris Piper and King Edward varieties worked the best.

The process to extract the as yet unnamed molecule has now been patented, with hopes it could one day be sold as a supplement similar to pro-biotic yoghurt drinks, the Daily Mail reported.