ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY AND TOTAL PHENOLICS IN DIFFERENT GENOTYPES OF POTATO (SOLANUM-TUBEROSUM, L)

Antioxidant activity of potato compared with that of broccoli, onion, carrot and bell peppers was higher than all except broccoli. Patatin appeared to be the major water-soluble compound that showed antioxidant activity. The activity varied among potato cultivars, but was not related to flesh color or total phenolics. Antioxidant activity was evenly distributed within tuber parts and/or sections, except for skin tissue which had the greatest antioxidant activity and total phenolic content. Total phenolics varied among cultivars, with some containing twofold higher concentrations than other cultivars. Phenolic content differences were genotype dependent and not related to flesh color.