Cooking Methods and Storage Treatments of Potato: Effects on Carotenoids, Antioxidant Activity, and Phenolics

The influence of genotype, cooking method, and storage treatments on potato compounds associated with improved human health was analyzed. Antioxidant activity (AA), total phenolics (TP), and total carotenoids (xanthophyll carotenoids, CAR) were determined in eight genotypes using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), Folin-Ciocalteu reagent, and spectrophotometric absorbance, respectively. Individual phenolic and carotenoid composition was analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in three genotypes of potato. Samples were subjected to a combination of storage conditions for approximately 4 months (non-stored or stored for 110 days at either 4°C, 4°C with an additional 10 days of reconditioning at 20°C, or 20°C storage) and cooking methods (baking, boiling, frying, or microwaving); an uncooked sample was used as a control. The non-stored samples had lower amounts of CAR, AA, and TP along with the individual compounds compared to the various storage regimes, while the recondition storage treatment produced equal or higher levels of TP and individual phenolics than any other storage regime. No cooking and boiling resulted in significantly lower AA and TP, as compared to baking, frying and/or microwaving. Baking, frying and/or microwaving also increased the levels of chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, (-) epicatechin, p-coumaric acid and vanillic acid, but decreased quercetin dihydrate when compared to uncooked samples. Most health promoting compounds were enhanced by one or both postharvest processing parameters (storage and cooking); however, t-cinnamic acid, and lutein were not affected.