Potato tubers processes

In order to obtain a better understanding of the processes that regulate tissue disintegration, additional experiments will include the heterologous expression in potato tubers of a secreted PL3 isoform. 

The unique suberin components that are not found as significant components of cutin are the very long chain molecules and the dicarboxylic acids. Therefore, chain elongation and conversion of co-hydroxy acids to the corresponding dicarboxylic acids constitute two unique biochemical processes involved in the synthesis of suberin. Incorporation of labeled acetate into the very long chain components of suberin was demonstrated and this ability developed during suberization in potato tuber disks [73]. The enzymes involved... 

The development of a by-production system could further minimize the cost of such plant-derived products. For example, potatoes are the raw material for the production of technical grade starch. During this process, soluble proteins are separated by heat treatment and sold as animal fodder. Recombinant proteins could be produced in transgenic potato tubers as a by-product of starch extraction, and this would be useful for proteins produced in large amounts with a low commercial impact, like structural fiber proteins. 

Figure 3. Dehydrated Flakes Prepared from Fresh Peeled Yam Tubers by the SRRC-Sweet Potato Flaking Process.

Most NMR studies of potato have focused on understanding the effects of processes such as boiling, frying, freezing and drying. Exceptions are the NMR microimaging of healthy and diseased potato tubers reported by Goodman and co-workers, and relaxometry responses in healthy tubers... 

The bulk of potato tubers is made up of parenchyma cells that have thin, non-lignified, primary cell walls (Reeve et al., 1971 Bush et al, 1999, 2001 Parker et al., 2001). Unless stated to the contrary, potato cell walls refers to parenchyma cell walls. These walls and their component polysaccharides are important for a number of reasons they form part of the total intake of dietary fiber, influence the texture of cooked potato tubers and form much of the waste pulp that is produced in large amounts by the potato starch industry when starch is isolated. The pulp is usually used as cattle feed, but potentially could be processed in a variety of ways to increase its value (Mayer, 1998). For example, the whole cell-wall residues could be used as afood ingredient to alter food texture and to increase its dietary-fiber content, or cell-wall polysaccharides could be extracted and used in a similar way or for various industrial applications (Turquois et al., 1999 Dufresne et al, 2000 Harris and Smith, 2006 Kaack et al., 2006). 

Dufresne, A., Dupeyre, D., Vignon, M. R. (2000). Cellulose microfibrils from potato tuber cells processing and characterization of starch-cellulose microfibril composites. J. Appl Polym. Scl, 76,2080-2092. 

Functionally, starch can be considered as a polysaccharide synthesized in a manner permitting its efficient degradation. Hence, biosynthesis of the starch granule is a delicate balance between efficient packing of the glucan chains and the possibility of breaking these structures at degradation. To complete this enzymatically catalyzed process in the potato tuber, a multitude of different enzyme activities are required. 

Figure 6.5 shows the structures of tra 5-cinnamic acid and four cinnamic acid derivatives (phenolic compounds) reported to be present in potatoes. Because potatoes are one of our major food plants, we validated with the aid of HPLC and LC/MS the content and distribution of antioxidative phenolic compounds in parts of the potato plant, in potato tubers, in the peel and flesh of tubers, in potatoes sold commercially in Korea and the United States, and in home-processed potatoes. The following discussion, based on our own studies, is followed by a brief overview of analytical methods for potato phenolic compounds by other investigators. 

The cited observations suggest that it is possible to identify potato cultivars with low or high phenolic acid content for human use and to select processing conditions that minimize losses of phenolic compounds. In summary, the methods we developed and used to determine the content and distribution of phenolic compounds in potato plant flowers, leaves, and tubers, in the peel and flesh parts of potato tubers, and in freeze-dried and processed commercial potatoes merit application in numerous studies designed to assess the role of potato phenolic compounds in host-plant resistance, plant breeding, plant molecular biology, food chemistry, nutrition, and medicine. The described wide distribution of phenolic compounds in different commercial... 

Han, J. S., Kozukue, N., Young, K. S., Lee, K. R., Friedman, M. (2004). Distribution of ascorbic acid in potato tubers and in home-processed and commercial potato foods. J. Agric. Food Chem., 52, 6516-6521. 

Mazza, G. (1983a). Processing/Nutritional quality ehanges in potato tubers during growth and long term storage. Can. Inst. Food Sci. Technol. J., 76(1), 39 4. 

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