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Glycoalkaloid transformation during potato crisps production? Method validation and industrial trial

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Abstract

The aim of the industrial trial was to monitor the contents of the glycoalkaloids α-solanine, α-chaconine and their aglycon solanidine along the production process from unpeeled raw tubers to potato crisps. This should identify process factors that reveal possible process-related reduction or enrichment of these substances. The successful validation of an LC–MS/MS method using an external calibration for the determination of the glycoalkaloids α-solanine, α-chaconine and its aglycone solanidine met the requirements of the monitoring recommendation EU 2022/561, both, in terms of sensitivity and in view of the required enzyme inactivation. For the tested potato variety, none of the 15 industrially produced samples exceeded the proposed indicative value of 100 mg total glycoalkaloids/kg product mass (range: 13.2 mg/kg for peeled tuber to 67.6 mg/kg for potato crisps). Finally, solanidine contents were measured for the first time in-line a potato crisps production, ranging from 0.03 to 0.14 mg/kg product mass. The glycoalkaloid contents were additionally calculated as fat-free potato dry mass (ffpdm) to enable a standardized comparison of analytical values. With regard to this newly introduced reference value in this kind of process control, the ffpdm, a significant change of the glycoalkaloid contents during the production process of potato crisps after the peeling process could be excluded. This finding refutes current literature knowledge dealing with non-standardized results based on pure product weight ignoring water loss and/or fat intake along the production process. Starting from the unpeeled tuber to the final potato crisps, a glycoalkaloid reduction of 62% on average related to ffpdm could be achieved during the process, mainly related to the peeling. In contrary, the frying process contributed only insignificantly to the glycoalkaloid reduction.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the Intersnack Group GmbH & Co KG, The Lorenz Bahlsen Snack-World GmbH & Co KG and Agrarfrost GmbH & Co KG for the intensive support of our project, for numerous discussions on the topic of GAs and for the opportunity to carry out the industrial trial and providing the samples along the production chain for the production of potato crisps.

We would also like to thank Ms. Lisa Weltermann for her very helpful assistance in the laboratory and the statistical evaluations.

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  1. Food Chemistry Institute of the Association of the German Confectionery Industry, Adamsstraße 52-54, 51063, Cologne, Germany

    Marion Raters, Renate Strohmaier & Frank Heckel

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  1. Marion Raters
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  2. Renate Strohmaier
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  3. Frank Heckel
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Correspondence to Marion Raters.

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Raters, M., Strohmaier, R. & Heckel, F. Glycoalkaloid transformation during potato crisps production? Method validation and industrial trial. Eur Food Res Technol 250, 1341–1351 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00217-023-04463-y

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