Effect of peeling on quality indices of potatoes with coloured flesh

Abstract

Edible potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is one of the major tuber crops grown in the world. They are an important source of antioxidants (polyphenol, anthocyanins), starch, protein, fibre, mineral elements and vitamins. However, many of these compounds are located in potato peels, and are eliminated as waste. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effect of peeling on some quality indices of tubers of red- and purple-fleshed potato cultivars that were grown in Lithuania. Six potato cultivars with different coloured flesh (red-fleshed - Red Emmalie, Rosalinde, Highland Burgundy and purple-fleshed - Violetta, Valfi, Salad Blue) were cultivated at a farm in the Prienai district of Lithuania. Potatoes were grown following traditional potato production technology in conventional farming system. The tubers were planted in the May and harvested in September. For each cultivar, two group tubers were constituted. The first group was not peeled; the second group was peeled. The standard methods were used for the quantification of the following quality parameters in the raw unpeeled and peeled potato tubers. Content of ash was determined by combustion at 550 °C; content of potassium - by potentiometric method. [...]Agronomijos fakultetasVytauto Didžiojo universiteta