Effect of storage on phenolic compounds in tubers from different processing potato varieties

VALIÑAS, M; LANTERI, L; DE LASA, C; TEN HAVE, A; CALDIZ, D; ANDREU, A

Edimburgo

Congreso; 8th World Potato Congress; 2012

Potato tubers provide antioxidant compounds to the diet like vitamin C, carotenoids and polyphenols. Polyphenol compounds have beneficial effects on human health, with roles in the prevention of cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, cancers, osteoporosis and diabetes. These compounds also have antimicrobial activity. Total phenolic content in potato is influenced by intrinsic (variety and flesh colour) and extrinsic (cultivation and storage conditions) factors. Since potatoes are usually stored before being processed into potato chips or frozen potato products, it is important to know the effect of storage on potato polyphenols. We studied the phenolic content and antioxidant capacity in skin and flesh of freshly harvested and 3-month-stored processing potato varieties. Results showed that the amount of phenolic compounds detected in the skin was up to five times higher than in the flesh. The phenolic content increased or remained constant with storage and this behavior was variety and/or tissue dependent. As expected, the antioxidant capacity was higher in the skin than in the flesh. The effect of storage on the antioxidant capacity was tissue dependent with a decrease in the flesh and an increase in the skin. Currently, we are studying the expression levels of genes involved in phenolic biosynthesis. Although results shown that storage can increase the phenolic content, it is not know the effect on their bioactivity. Therefore, future studies will be directed to know the effect of phenolic extracts both on the inhibition of microbial growth and on the development of Alzheimer´s diseases.