Skip to main content
Log in

Some observations on after cooking blackening of the Irish potato

  • Published:
American Potato Journal Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Physiological studies were conducted on two varieties of potatoes — Ontario, which is susceptible to after-cooking blackening, and Kennebec — a variety which is generally free from this type of blackening.

The potatoes were stored at 50 F (10 C) and samples were removed for analyses every month. During the course of a year both varieties showed a gradual loss of ascorbic acid until the final sampling (July) when there was a slight rise. Ontario variety was consistently higher in ascorbic acid than Kennebec except at the June sampling.

The values for oxidation of ascorbic acid fluctuated and showed no definite relationship to propensity for blackening.

Turbidity of the extracts fluctuated during the year, showing a peak at the December sampling. The Ontario variety gave higher turbidity readings every month after the November sampling.

The Ontario was consistently lower in iodine-reducing values than the Kennebec potatoes.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

Literature Cited

  1. Bowman, Ferne and Flora Hanning. 1951. A study of blackening and fluorescence in potatoes. Food Research 16: 462.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Hunter, Ann S., E. G. Heisler, J. Siciliano, R. H. Treadway and C. F. Woodward. 1957. After-cooking discoloration of potatoes: possible involvement of polyphenolic constituents. Food Research 22: 648.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Lewis, W. R. and D. M. Doty. 1947. Partial characterization of a compound involved in the blackening of white potatoes. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 69: 521.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Robison, Ursula M. 1941. Blackening of potato tubers on boiling. Nature 147: 777.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Rose, Dean H. and Harold T. Cook. 1949. Handling, storage, transportation and utilization of potatoes. A digest of information on the subject published mostly from 1938 to 1948. U.S. Dept. Agr. Bibliographical Bull. No. 11.

  6. Tinkler, C. R. 1931. The blackening of potatoes after cooking. Biochem. J. 25: 773.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Tottingham, W. E., R. Nagy and A. F. Ross. 1936. The problem of causes of blackening in cooked potatoes. Am. Potato J. 13: 297.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Tottingham, W. E., Rudolph Nagy, A. Frank Ross, Jerry W. Marek and Carol O. Clagett. 1947. Blackening indices of potatoes grown under various conditions of field culture. J. Agr. Research 74: 145.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Wager, H. G. 1947. Quality of potatoes in relation to soil and the colour of the cooked potato. J. Agr. Sci. (England). 37: 270.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Yanovsky, E. 1955. The after-cooking discoloration of potatoes — a review. Eastern Regional Research Laboratory. Phila., Pa. U. S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Research Serv. Bull. ARS-73.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Based on data submitted by Premitha Weeratne in partial fulfillment for the degree of Master of Science.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Weeratne, P., Miller, E.V. & Murphy, H.J. Some observations on after cooking blackening of the Irish potato. American Potato Journal 41, 39–45 (1964). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02863543

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02863543

Keywords

Navigation