Antioxidant-polyphenols in processing potato varieties grown in Argentina.

VALIÑAS, M.1; NEGRIN, L.1; SUÁREZ, P.; CALDIZ D.; TEN HAVE, A.; ANDREU, A.1

Puerto Madryn,Chubut, Argentina

Congreso; XLVI Reunión Anual de la Sociedad Argentina de Investigación en Bioquímica y Biología Molecular. SAIB.; 2010

Sociedad Argentina de Investigación en Bioquímica y Biología Molecular. SAIB.

Plants produce a variety of secondary metabolites with beneficial effects on human health. Compounds such as antioxidant-polyphenols have been detected in native potatoes but there is little knowledge about their levels in processing varieties. QTL-assisted breeding allows for the introduction of genotypic features of native potatoes to processing varieties resulting in the increase of levels of beneficial polyphenols in these varieties. In order to optimize breeding, a profound knowledge of the regulation of polyphenol production is required. Previous studies indicate that the production of polyphenols is regulated at both the transcriptional and metabolic level. We quantified levels of chlorogenic acid, flavan-3-ols and anthocyanins as well as the antioxidant capacity in pulp and peel of tubers of 12 processing potato varieties. The content of chlorogenic acid and flavan-3-ols was higher in peel than in pulp whereas anthocyanins levels were below the detection limit for most varieties. There appeared no direct correlation between the content of polyphenols and antioxidant capacity although also the antioxidant capacity was higher in peel as well as transcript levels of key enzymes involved in the polyphenol-biosynthesis. A comparative analysis between processing and native potatoes will be performed in order to clarify how the metabolism of polyphenols works.