ISHS Acta Horticulturae 207: Naturally Occuring Toxins in Horticultural Food Crops, XXII IHC
POTATO GLYCOALKALOIDS |
| Author: | S.L. Sinden |
| Abstract:
Steroid glycoalkaloids (solanine and chaconine) are present in all potato tubers and processed products. There are no reports of ill effects from consuming potatoes that have normal levels of these potentially toxic compounds. However, potatoes can become toxic to humans when glycoalkaloid concentrations rise above 20 mg/100 g fresh weight. Cultivars differ widely in the amounts they normally synthesize and some experimental clones regularly synthesize levels in excess of the 20 mg/100 g limit established to maintain complete safety of potatoes and potato products. Glycoalkaloid synthesis is highly heritable. Therefore, breeders can control the levels in new cultivars by appropriate selection of parental lines. Among the many factors affecting glycoalkaloid levels in tubers of a particular cultivar, growing environment, tuber size, maturity, physical damage, and light exposure are probably the most important. | |
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