Skip to main content
Springer Nature Link
Log in

Free Amino Acids in Potato (Solanum tuberosum) May Cause Egumi-Taste in Food Products

  • Published:
Potato Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Potatoes sometimes have an unpleasantly harsh, somewhat bitter, and astringent taste that is called egumi-taste and which results in the deterioration of the quality of potato products. Egumi-taste tends not to be favoured by Japanese consumers. The aim of this study was to clarify the causal agents of egumi-taste in potatoes. Of the four cultivars used here, two were shown in a sensory evaluation of steamed potatoes to have an egumi-taste. The content of the glycoalkaloids that cause a bitter taste had no correlation with egumi-taste. On the other hand, the free amino acids, especially the bitter-tasting amino acids, were higher in the cultivars evaluated as egumi-tasting than in other cultivars. Additionally, the tyrosine content in the tubers of egumi-tasting cultivars was also higher than that in other cultivars. A metabolite of tyrosine, homogentisic acid, is known to be responsible for the egumi-taste of bamboo shoots, and thus, the high tyrosine content might be the cause of the egumi-taste of some potatoes.

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

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+
from $39.99 /Month
  • Starting from 10 chapters or articles per month
  • Access and download chapters and articles from more than 300k books and 2,500 journals
  • Cancel anytime
View plans

Buy Now

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
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

Explore related subjects

Discover the latest articles, books and news in related subjects, suggested using machine learning.

References

  • Crowell EF, McGrath JM, Douches DS (2007) Accumulation of vitamin E in potato (Solanum tuberosum) tubers. Transgenic Res 17:205–217

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Deguchi T, Iwama K, Haverkort AJ (2016) Actual and potential yield levels of potato in different production system of Japan. Potato Res 59:207–225

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Drapal M, Farfan-Vignolo ER, Gutierrez OR, Bonierbale M, Mihovilovich E, Fraser PD (2017) Identification of metabolites associated with water stress responses in Solanum tuberosum L. clones. Phytochemistry 135:24–33

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Garcia I, Rodgers M, Pepin R, Hsieh T, Martringe M (1999) Characterization and subcellular compartment 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase from Arabidopsis in transgenic tobacco. Plant Phys 119:1507–1516

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hasegawa C, Sakamoto Y, Ichihara K (1959) On the relationship between homogentisic acid and the egumi-taste of bamboo shoots and hange. Proc Jpn Acad 35:246–251

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jansky SH (2010) Potato flavor. In: Hui YH (ed) Handbook of fruit and vegetable flavors. Wiley, New York, pp 935–946

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Kirimura J, Shimizu A, Kimizuka A, Ninomiya T, Katsuya N (1969) The contribution of peptides and amino acids to the taste of foodstuffs. J Agr Food Chem 17:689–695

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Matsuura-Endo C, Ohara-Takada A, Chuda Y, Ono H, Yada H, Yoshida M, Kobayashi A, Tsuda S, Takigawa S, Noda T, Yamaguchi H, Mori M (2006) Effects of storage temperature on the contents of sugars and free amino acids in tubers from different potato cultivars and acrylamide in chips. Biosci Biothechnol Biochem 70:1173–1180

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mori K, Asano K, Tamiya S, Nakano T, Mori M (2015) Challenges of breeding potato cultivars to grow in various environments and to meet different demands. Breed Sci 65:3–16

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Mottram DS, Wedzicha BR, Dodson AT (2002) Acrylamide is formed in the Maillard reaction. Nature 419:448–449

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nakano M, Ogawa K, Koga H (2007) The contents of potato glycoalkaloid in potato chips and the effects on the taste. Jpn J Sens Eval 22:107–111

    Google Scholar 

  • Noguchi T (2009) Dictionary for nutrition and biochemistry (translated from Japanese). Asakura Shoten, Tokyo

    Google Scholar 

  • Sakaguchi S, Umemura Y, Okuyama Y, Irikura Y, Takase N, Tabata K, Nagata T, Oka H (1976) A new processing potato variety Toyoshiro. Res Bull Hokkaido Natl Agri Exp Stat 116:95–109

    Google Scholar 

  • Sinden SL, Deahl KL, Aulenbach BB (1976) Effect of glycoalkaloids and phenolics on potato flavor. J Food Sci 41:520–523

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Ms. Riko Ohwa and Mr. Takumi Koyama for their technical assistance.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Food, Aroma and Cosmetic Chemistry, Faculty of Bioindustry, Tokyo University of Agriculture, 196 Yasaka, Abashiri, 099-2493, Japan

    Hiroaki Sato, Ryosuke Koizumi & Yoshimasa Sagane

  2. Research Department, Research and Development Division, Calbee, Inc., 23-6 Kiyohara Kougyoudanchi, Utsunomiya, Tochigi, 321-3231, Japan

    Ryuichi Itoyama, Megumi Ichisawa, Junko Negishi & Rui Sakuma

  3. Department of Nutritional Science, Faculty of Applied Bioscience, Tokyo University of Agriculture, 1-1-1 Sakuragaoka, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 156-8502, Japan

    Tadasu Furusho

  4. Department of Applied Biology and Chemistry, Faculty of Applied Bioscience, Tokyo University of Agriculture, 1-1-1 Sakuragaoka, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 156-8502, Japan

    Katsumi Takano

Authors
  1. Hiroaki Sato
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ryosuke Koizumi
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ryuichi Itoyama
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Megumi Ichisawa
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Junko Negishi
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Rui Sakuma
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Tadasu Furusho
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Yoshimasa Sagane
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Katsumi Takano
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hiroaki Sato.

Additional information

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Sato, H., Koizumi, R., Itoyama, R. et al. Free Amino Acids in Potato (Solanum tuberosum) May Cause Egumi-Taste in Food Products. Potato Res. 62, 305–314 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11540-019-9412-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11540-019-9412-9

Keywords