Effect of Growth-Location and Length of Storage on Glycoalkaloid Content of Roadside-Stand Potatoes as Stored by Consumers

J Food Prot. 1983 Feb;46(2):119-121. doi: 10.4315/0362-028X-46.2.119.

Abstract

Potato tubers were purchased from roadside stands at 25 locations in the State of Maine and were stored from 1 to 3 months under home storage conditions at 12.2°C. Initially and after 1 and 3 months of storage, tubers were analyzed for their α-chaconine, α-solanine and total glycoalkaloid (TGA) contents. Mean α-chaconine, α-solanine and total glycoalkaloid contents of the tubers ranged from 0.41 to 3.45, 0.35 to 1.51 and 0.75 to 6.16 mg/100 g of tuber (wet weight), respectively. Statistical analysis of the results indicated that the interaction of location and storage time had a significant (P<0.05) effect on concentration of the individual and total glycoalkaloids in the tubers. The results also demonstrated that storage under these suboptimum conditions did not cause an increase of glycoalkaloids to a toxic level.