Open AccessAPPLICATION OF A FUNCTIONAL MATHEMATICAL QUALITY INDEX TO ASPARAGINE, FREE SUGAR AND PHENOLIC ACID CONTENT OF 20 COMMERCIAL POTATO VARIETIES
Author(s) -
FINOTTI ENRICO,
BERSANI ENRICO,
VIVANTI VITTORIO,
FRIEDMAN MENDEL
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of food quality
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.568
H-Index - 43
eISSN - 1745-4557
pISSN - 0146-9428
DOI - 10.1111/j.1745-4557.2010.00357.x
Subject(s) - cultivar , index (typography) , browning , quality (philosophy) , production (economics) , selection (genetic algorithm) , asparagine , agricultural engineering , food science , microbiology and biotechnology , mathematics , agronomy , chemistry , computer science , biology , engineering , economics , machine learning , biochemistry , philosophy , epistemology , world wide web , macroeconomics , enzyme
In this article, we apply a functional mathematical index (FMI), introduced in a previous publication, to 20 commercial potato varieties. The index allows evaluation of nutritional, safety and processing “quality parameters” of different potato cultivars. The main goal of the index is to link the quality of the chemical composition with factors that may affect the growth, production, distribution and processing of potatoes and potato products for commercial use. The index has been used to assess FMI values of 20 commercial potato cultivars in terms of their content of asparagine and reducing sugars, which form heat‐induced potentially toxic acrylamide and of antioxidative phenolic compounds, which participate in nonenzymatic browning reactions and may exert beneficial effects after consumption. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS The index could be useful to a wide set of users, including consumers of potatoes as well as to potato producers and breeders, because it makes it possible to relate the index to the potato price and operate a more accurate choice for selection of so‐called “optimal potatoes.” Potato producers may find the index useful because it can help them detect the critical points throughout the whole food production chain in order to facilitate selection of high‐quality potatoes for sale to consumers. Potato breeders could apply the index to the development and selection of improved cultivars for commercial use.