Effect of Genotype and Storage on Glycoalkaloid and Acrylamide Content and Sensory Attributes of Potato Chips

Abstract

Potato chips are the most popular snack foods consumed in Western countries. Potato chips contain beneficial bioactive compounds such as resistant starch, polyphenols etc. along with naturally occurring glycoalkaloids (GA) and processing induced acrylamide (AL). Information on the effect of genotype and storage on both GA and AL are limited. In this study the effect of cultivar and storage on both GA and AL content in potato chips was evaluated using four potato cultivars. In addition, reducing sugars and sensory attributes were measured in response to storage time and cultivar. Potato chips made from fresh and stored tubers were analyzed for total GA and AL using High Performance Liquid Chromatography and Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography, respectively. Raw potatoes were analyzed for reducing sugars using a spectrophotometer. Sensory attributes of potato chips were assessed using 114 untrained panelists. The effect of storage on GA and AL content is cultivar dependent. Purple-fleshed cultivars were more susceptible to storage induced increase in AL content. Storage of potatoes at low temperature (4 °C) resulted in a significant increase in GA, AL and reducing sugar content after 90 days. Positive correlations were observed for the overall acceptability, texture, taste, ranking and GA/AL content, emphasizing the positive role of GA/AL on sensory qualities. These results indicate that an increase in GA and AL content with storage is dependent on cultivar. Thus, it is critical to select cultivars and optimize the storage conditions to lower GA/AL content in the potato chips, while retaining the sensory attributes and health-benefiting compounds.