Screening of potato genotypes based on glucose and Asparagines content to minimize Acrylamide formation in potato chips and French fries

Abstract

Seven potato genotypes that are available in Bangladesh, were grown at the field laboratory under the Crop Botany Department, Bangladesh Agricultural University in 2014. Reducing sugars and free asparagine were determined at freshly harvested potato tubers and those after storing at 8 0 C for 8 months. There was no significant variation of asparagine content in all genotypes of freshly harvested tubers. But a significant difference was found in reducing sugar content. The lowest was in the samples of the genotypes Cardinal and Rumanapakri, and the highest in Hagrai. The variety Diamant appeared to contain the lowest amount of reducing sugars after 8 months storage. The results showed that freshly harvested Cardinal, Rumanapakri and Diamant after storage produced less amount of acrylamide after frying as potato chips or French fries. It may be concluded that screening potato genotypes primarily on their reducing sugar contents could be useful tool to minimize acrylamide formation in potato chips and French fries. Further investigation is needed to find out the factors affecting reducing sugar and asparagine content in potato tubers.