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Effect of variety and harvest date on tuber sugars and chip color

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Abstract

The major tuber sugars—glucose, fructose and sucrose — in tubers of the Red Pontiac, Kennebec and Monona potato varieties harvested five times during the 1970 growing season were determined quantitatively by a gas-liquid Chromatographic technique. Also, chips were made from tubers and chip color was measured objectively and reported as Rd values. Red Pontiac tubers produced the darkest-colored chips (Rd-15.5), and its tubers tended to accumulate the highest levels of the three sugars. The major difference between Monona, which produced chips with the lightest color (Rd-21.1), and Kennebec (Rd-19.5) was the very low level of glucose found in the tubers of Monona.

Varieties produced chips lightest in color at the second (8/31) or third (9/15) harvest dates. Conversely, darkest-colored chips were obtained from each variety at the fourth harvest date (9/28). This was attributed to the cool, wet weather. Sugar content also varied during the harvesting schedule. Glucose content changed little until late in the season when an increase occurred. Fructose tended to decline until the final harvest when a distinct increase was obtained. Sucrose declined significantly through the third harvest, but changed little thereafter.

Resumen

Se determinó el contenido de glucosa, fructosa, y sacarosa en tubérculos de papa de los cultivares Red Pontiac, Kennebec, y Monona, provenientes de 5 épocas de cosecha en 1970. El contenido de azúcar fué medido por cromatografía de gas y líquido y el calor de los chips por Rd (reflectancia). Los tubérculos de Red Pontiac produjeron los chips más oscuros (Rd-15.5) y fueron los de mayor contenido de azúcar. Monona produjo chips más claros (Rd-21.1) que Kennebec (Rd-19.5) y tuvieron menos glucosa.

El color de los chips se hizo más claro hasta la tercera cosecha y luego declinaron severamente en las 2 últimas cosechas, debido probablemente al clima frío y húmedo. El contenido de azúcar también varió durante la estación. La glucosa fue estable hasta el fin de la estación. La fructosa declinó hasta la cosecha final donde se incrementó muy claramente. La sacarosa declinó significativamente hasta la tercera cosecha, pero no cambió en adelante.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Bureau of Foods, FDA, 20204, Washington, DC

    R. A. Miller (Food Technologist)

  2. Department of Agronomy, USA

    J. D. Harrington (Professor of Agronomy)

  3. Department of Horticulture, The Pennsylvania State University, 16802, University Park, Pennsylvania

    G. D. Kuhn (Associate Professor of Food Technology Extension)

Authors
  1. R. A. Miller
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  2. J. D. Harrington
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  3. G. D. Kuhn
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Additional information

Authorized for publication on July 5, 1972 as paper No. 4257 in the Journal Series of the Pennsylvania Agricultural Experiment Station.

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Miller, R.A., Harrington, J.D. & Kuhn, G.D. Effect of variety and harvest date on tuber sugars and chip color. American Potato Journal 52, 379–386 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02852792

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02852792

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