Potato flavour: profiling of umami 5′-nucleotides from Indian potato cultivars

Abstract

Potato flavour depends on the level of umami compounds and volatiles. Major umami compounds present in potatoes are 5′-nucleotides (adenosine-5′-monophosphate: AMP and guanosine-5′-monophosphate: GMP) and amino acids (aspartic acid and glutamic acid). The level of these compounds in Indian potato cultivars has not been investigated. Therefore, a method was standardized for the detection of umami 5′-nucleotides from raw and microwave cooked tubers of forty four Indian potato cultivars using high performance liquid chromatography. In raw tubers, concentration of 5′-nucleotides ranged from 1.70 µg g−1 fr. wt. in Kufri Jawahar to 6.68 µg g−1 fr. wt. in Kufri Muthu. In microwave cooked potatoes concentration of 5′ nucleotides ranged from 2.97 µg g−1 fr. wt. in Kufri Jawahar to 9.54 µg g−1 fr. wt. in Kufri Himalini. Under microwave cooking, the concentration of 5′-nucleotides was found to increase manifolds ranging from the highest in Kufri Lalima (272 %) to the lowest in Kufri Kundan (0 %). A positive correlation existed between the level of 5′-nucleotides and organoleptic scores given by the panelists. A positive correlation was observed in the flavour of varieties having dry matter of <18 %. Further investigations on the concentration of umami compounds in Indian potato cultivars may lead to finding out better tasting cultivars for potato product development .