Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Trace Elements in Potato

  • Published:
Potato Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Trace elements occur in low quantities in the environment but have a crucial importance. Some elements are essential for life whereas many elements exhibit toxicity when exposure to them is too high. In this contribution, trace elements in potato are addressed. Although potato is a crop growing in the soil, the tuber does not intensively accumulate trace elements. Concentrations of trace elements are in the range of other vegetables. Generally, potato exhibits a rather low nutritional value for trace elements, with the exception of Fe, Cr, and Cu, although specific cultivars may provide significant contributions to the intake of several elements. Trace element uptake depends strongly on the plant and also on the growing environment. Soil properties that influence uptake include pH, contents of clay and organic matter, and salinity. In soils with baseline metal concentrations, concentrations of potentially toxic elements are of no concern, but Cd needs to be monitored. Environmental care and good soil management is a must to safeguard the safety of food, including potato.

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

Access this article

Log in via an institution

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

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alloway BJ (1990) Heavy metals in soils. Blackie and Son, Glasgow

    Google Scholar 

  • Anderson KA, Magnuson BA, Tschirgi ML, Smith B (1999) Determining the geographic origin of potatoes with trace metal analysis using statistical and neural network classifiers. J Agric Food Chem 47:1568–1575. doi:10.1021/jf980677u

  • Anonymous (2001) Dietary reference intakes for vitamin A, vitamin K, arsenic, boron, chromium, copper, iodine, iron, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, silicon, vanadium, and zinc. National Academy Press, Washington, DC

  • Arnich N, Sirot V, Rivière G, et al (2012) Dietary exposure to trace elements and health risk assessment in the 2nd French Total Diet Study. Food Chem Toxicol 50:2432–2449. doi:10.1016/j.fct.2012.04.016

  • Arnon DI, Stout PR (1939) The essentiality of certain elements in minute quantity for plants with special reference to copper. Plant Physiol 14:371–375

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bagla P, Kaiser J (1996) India’s spreading health crisis draws global arsenic experts. Science 274:174

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Becker W, Jorhem L, Sundström B, Grawé KP (2011) Contents of mineral elements in Swedish market basket diets. J Food Compos Anal 24:279–287. doi:10.1016/j.jfca.2010.10.001

  • Biego GH, Joyeux M, Hartemann P, Debry G (1999) Determination of dietary tin intake in an adult French citizen. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 36:227–232

  • Choi M-K, Jun Y-S (2008) Analysis of boron content in frequently consumed foods in Korea. Biol Trace Elem Res 126:13–26. doi:10.1007/s12011-008-8179-7

  • Clemens S (2001) Molecular mechanisms of plant metal tolerance and homeostasis. Planta 212:475–486

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • De Temmerman L, Waegeneers N, Thiry C, et al (2014) Selenium content of Belgian cultivated soils and its uptake by field crops and vegetables. Sci Total Environ 468–469:77–82. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2013.08.016

  • Di Giacomo F, Del Signore A, Giaccio M (2007) Determining the geographic origin of potatoes using mineral and trace element content. J Agric Food Chem 55:860–866. doi:10.1021/jf062690h

  • Du Laing G, Tack FMG, Verloo MG (2003) Performance of selected destruction methods for the determination of heavy metals in reed plants (Phragmites australis). Anal Chim Acta 497:191–198

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ekholm P, Reinivuo H, Mattila P, et al (2007) Changes in the mineral and trace element contents of cereals, fruits and vegetables in Finland. J Food Compos Anal 20:487–495. doi:10.1016/j.jfca.2007.02.007

  • European Commission (2006) Commission Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 of 19 December 2006 setting maximum levels for certain contaminants in foodstuffs.

  • Florijn PJ, van Beusichem ML (1993) Uptake and distribution of cadmium in maize inbred lines. Plant Soil 150:25–32. doi:10.1007/BF00779172

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Frossard E, Bucher M, Mächler F et al (2000) Potential for increasing the content and bioavailability of Fe, Zn and Ca in plants for human nutrition. J Sci Food Agric 80:861–879. doi:10.1002/(SICI)1097-0010(20000515)80:7<861::AID-JSFA601>3.0.CO;2-P

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hajšlová J, Schulzová V, Slanina P et al (2005) Quality of organically and conventionally grown potatoes: four-year study of micronutrients, metals, secondary metabolites, enzymic browning and organoleptic properties. Food Addit Contam 22:514–534. doi:10.1080/02652030500137827

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ismail F, Anjum MR, Mamon AN, Kazi TG (2011) Trace metal content of vegetables and fruits of hyderabad retail market. Pak J Nutr 10:365–372

  • Jinadasa KBPN, Milham PJ, Hawkins CA, et al (1997) survey of cadmium levels in vegetables and soils of Greater Sydney, Australia. J Environ Qual 26:924–933. doi:10.2134/jeq1997.00472425002600040002x

  • Jorhem L, Slanina P (2000) Does organic farming reduce the content of Cd and certain other trace metals in plant foods? A pilot study. J Sci Food Agric 80:43–48. doi:10.1002/(SICI)1097-0010(20000101)80:1<43::AID-JSFA482>3.0.CO;2-Y

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kabata-Pendias A (1993) Behavioural properties of trace metals in soils. Appl Geochem 8(Supplement 2):3–9. doi:10.1016/S0883-2927(09)80002-4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kabata-Pendias A (2010) Trace elements in soils and plants. CRC, Boca Raton, FL

  • Kiekens L, Camerlynck R (1982) Transfer characteristics for uptake of heavy metals by plants. Landwirtsch Forsch 39:255–261

    Google Scholar 

  • Larsen EH, Moseholm L, Nielsen MM (1992) Atmospheric deposition of trace elements around point sources and human health risk assessment. II: Uptake of arsenic and chromium by vegetables grown near a wood preservation factory. Sci Total Environ 126:263–275. doi:10.1016/0048-9697(92)90201-3

  • Lendinez E, Lorenzo ML, Cabrera C, López MC (2001) Chromium in basic foods of the Spanish diet: seafood, cereals, vegetables, olive oils and dairy products. Sci Total Environ 278:183–189. doi:10.1016/S0048-9697(01)00647-7

  • Llobet JM, Falco G, Casas C et al (2003) Concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, mercury, and lead in common foods and estimated daily intake by children, adolescents, adults, and seniors of Catalonia, Spain. J Agric Food Chem 51:838–842

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • López-Artíguez M, Soria ML, Cameán A, Repetto M (1993) Cadmium in the diet of the local population of Seville (Spain). Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 50:417–424

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mansour SA, Belal MH, Abou-Arab AAK, et al (2009) Evaluation of some pollutant levels in conventionally and organically farmed potato tubers and their risks to human health. Food Chem Toxicol 47:615–624. doi:10.1016/j.fct.2008.12.019

  • McLaughlin MJ, Palmer LT, Tiller KG et al (1994) Increased soil salinity causes elevated cadmium concentrations in field-grown potato tubers. J Environ Qual 23:1013–1018

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Milacic R, Kralj B (2003) Determination of Zn, Cu, Cd, Pb, Ni and Cr in some Slovenian foodstuffs. Eur Food Res Technol Z Für Lebensm-Unters -Forsch A 217:211–214. doi:10.1007/s00217-003-0755-7

  • Muñoz O, Bastias JM, Araya M, et al (2005) Estimation of the dietary intake of cadmium, lead, mercury, and arsenic by the population of Santiago (Chile) using a Total Diet Study. Food Chem Toxicol 43:1647–1655. doi:10.1016/j.fct.2005.05.006

  • Nassar AMK, Sabally K, Kubow S et al. (2012) Some Canadian-grown potato cultivars contribute to a substantial content of essential dietary minerals. J Agric Food Chem 60:4688–4696. doi:10.1021/jf204940t

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Nelson DW, Sommers LE (1982) Total carbon, organic carbon, and organic matter. In: Nelson DW, Miller RH, Keeney DR (eds) Methods of soil analysis, Part 2. Chemical and microbiological properties. ASA, Madison, Wisconsin, pp 539–579

  • Nielson KK, Mahoney AW, Williams LS, Rogers VC (1991) Screening for elevated lead and tin in fruits and vegetables by Nondestructive X-ray fluorescence. J Food Compos Anal 4:206–215. doi:10.1016/0889-1575(91)90032-2

  • Nogawa K (1981) Itai-Itai disease and follow-up studies. In: Nriagu, JO (ed) Cadmium in the Environment, Part 11, Health Effects. Wiley, New York, p 1–37

  • Öborn I, Jansson G, Johnsson L (1995) A field study on the influence of soil ph on trace element levels in spring wheat (Triticum aestivum), potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) and carrots (Daucus carota). Water Air Soil Pollut 85:835–840. doi:10.1007/BF00476933

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oporto C, Vandecasteele C, Smolders E (2007) Elevated cadmium concentrations in potato tubers due to irrigation with river water contaminated by Mining in Potosí, Bolivia. J Environ Qual 36:1181. doi:10.2134/jeq2006.0401

  • Ozturk E, Atsan E, Polat T, Kara K (2011) Variation in heavy metal concentrations of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cultivars. J Anim Plant Sci 21:235–239

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Parker DR, Pedler JF, Ahnstrom ZAS, Resketo M (2001) Reevaluating the free-ion activity model of trace metal toxicity toward higher plants: experimental evidence with copper and zinc. Environ Toxicol Chem 20:899–906

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Parveen Z, Khuhro MI, Rafiq N (2003) Market Basket Survey for Lead, Cadmium, Copper, Chromium, Nickel, and Zinc in Fruits and Vegetables. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 71:1260–1264. doi:10.1007/s00128-003-8640-4

  • Queirolo F, Stegen S, Restovic M, et al (2000) Total arsenic, lead, and cadmium levels in vegetables cultivated at the Andean villages of northern Chile. Sci Total Environ 255:75–84. doi:10.1016/S0048-9697(00)00450-2

  • Radwan MA, Salama AK (2006) Market basket survey for some heavy metals in Egyptian fruits and vegetables. Food Chem Toxicol 44:1273–1278. doi:10.1016/j.fct.2006.02.004

  • Rainey CJ, Nyquist LA, Coughlin JR, Downing RG (2002) Dietary boron intake in the United States: CSFII 1994–1996. J Food Compos Anal 15:237–250

  • Rivero RC, Hernández PS, Rodrı́guez EMR et al (2003) Mineral concentrations in cultivars of potatoes. Food Chem 83:247–253. doi:10.1016/S0308-8146(03)00087-6

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sakamoto M, Nakano A, Akagi H (2001) Declining Minamata male birth ratio associated with increased male fetal death due to heavy methylmercury pollution. Environ Res 87:92–98

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sanchez-Castillo CP, Dewey PJS, Aguirre A, et al (1998) The mineral content of Mexican fruits and vegetables. J Food Compos Anal 11:340–356. doi:10.1006/jfca.1998.0598

  • Santos EE, Lauria DC, Porto da Silveira CL (2004) Assessment of daily intake of trace elements due to consumption of foodstuffs by adult inhabitants of Rio de Janeiro city. Sci Total Environ 327:69–79. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2004.01.016

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Simsek A, Velioglu YS, Coskun AL, Sayli BS (2003) Boron concentrations in selected foods from borate-producing regions in Turkey. J Sci Food Agric 83:586–592. doi:10.1002/jsfa.1408

  • Singh V, Garg AN (2006) Availability of essential trace elements in Indian cereals, vegetables and spices using INAA and the contribution of spices to daily dietary intake. Food Chem 94:81–89. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2004.10.053

  • Smies M (1983) Biological aspects of trace element speciation in the aquatic environment. In: Leppard G G (ed). Trace element speciation in surface waters and its ecological implications. Plenum, New York, p 177–191

  • Sobukola OP, Adeniran OM, Odedairo AA, Kajihausa OE (2010) Heavy metal levels of some fruits and leafy vegetables from selected markets in Lagos, Nigeria. Afr J Food Sci 4:389–393

  • Sparks DL (2001) Elucidating the fundamental chemistry of soils: past and recent achievements and future frontiers. Geoderma 100:303–319

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Šrek P, Hejcman M, Kunzová E (2010) Multivariate analysis of relationship between potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) yield, amount of applied elements, their concentrations in tubers and uptake in a long-term fertilizer experiment. Field Crops Res 118:183–193. doi:10.1016/j.fcr.2010.05.009

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sungur Ş, Okur R (2009) Using azomethine-H method determination of boron contents of various foods consumed in Hatay Region in Turkey. Food Chem 115:711–714. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2008.11.103

  • Tack FMG (2010) Trace elements: general soil chemistry, principles and processes. In: Hooda P (ed) Trace elements in soils. Wiley-Blackwell, Chichester, pp 9–37

  • Tahvonen R (1993) Contents of selected elements in some fruits, berries, and vegetables on the Finnish market in 1987–1989. J Food Compos Anal 6:75–86. doi:10.1006/jfca.1993.1009

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tondel M, Rahman M, Magnuson A et al (1999) The relationship of arsenic levels in drinking water and the prevalence rate of skin lesions in Bangladesh. Environ Health Perspect 107:727

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tsongas TA, Meglen RR, Walravens PA, Chappell WR (1980) Molybdenum in the diet: an estimate of average daily intake in the United States. Am J Clin Nutr 33:1103–1107

  • Van Dokkum W (1995) The intake of selected minerals and trace elements in European countries. Nutr Res Rev 8:271–302. doi:10.1079/NRR19950016

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Van Dokkum WV, De Vos RH, Muys T, Wesstra JA (1989) Minerals and trace elements in total diets in The Netherlands. Br J Nutr 61:7–15. doi:10.1079/BJN19890087

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Van Ranst E, Verloo M, Demeyer A, Pauwels JM (1999) Manual for the soil chemistry and fertility laboratory. International Training Centre for Post-Graduate Soil Scientists, Gent, Belgium

  • White PJ, Broadley MR (2005) Biofortifying crops with essential mineral elements. Trends Plant Sci 10:586–593. doi:10.1016/j.tplants.2005.10.001

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • White PJ, Bradshaw JE, Finlay M et al (2009) Relationships Between Yield and Mineral Concentrations in Potato Tubers. HortSci 44:6–11

    Google Scholar 

  • Ysart G, Miller P, Croasdale M et al (2000) 1997 UK Total Diet Study dietary exposures to aluminium, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel, selenium, tin and zinc. Food Addit Contam 17:775–786. doi:10.1080/026520300415327

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao F-J, McGrath SP (2009) Biofortification and phytoremediation. Curr Opin Plant Biol 12:373–380

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The author acknowledges Arne Demey for his involvement in the survey.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Analytical Chemistry and Applied Ecochemistry, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, B-9000, Gent, Belgium

    Filip M. G. Tack

Authors
  1. Filip M. G. Tack
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Filip M. G. Tack.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Tack, F.M.G. Trace Elements in Potato. Potato Res. 57, 311–325 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11540-014-9268-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11540-014-9268-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation