Chlorophyll, Chlorogenic Acid, Glycoalkaloid, and Protease Inhibitor Content of Fresh and Green Potatoes

Abstract

Exposure of commercial White Rose potatoes to fluorescent light for 20 days induced a time-dependent greening of potato surfaces; an increase in chlorophyll, chlorogenic acid, and glycoalkaloid content (α-chaconine and α-solanine); and no changes in the content of inhibitors of the digestive enzymes trypsin, chymotrypsin, and carboxypeptidase A. The minimum chlorophyll level of the light-stored potatoes was 0.5 mg/100 g of fresh potato weight. Unstored potatoes contained no chlorophyll. Storing potatoes in the dark did not result in greening or chlorophyll formation. Chlorogenic acid and glycoalkaloid levels of dark-stored potatoes did increase but less than in the light-stored potatoes