The effect of storage conditions on chemical content of raw potatoes and texture of cooked potatoes

Texture of boiled potato tubers (cv. Beate) was studied over several months of storage at either 4 or 8 degreesC, in relation to dry matter content, non-starch polysaccharides (NSP), methyl groups, a glucose, starch and amylose. The dry matter content decreased significantly during storage at 4 degreesC, but increased at 8 degreesC due to evaporation. The insoluble NSP contained rhamnose, galactose, arabinose, xylose, mannose, fucose and glucose; the first three sugars decreased significantly after the first 7 weeks of storage. Fracturability and percent compression before break increased during storage at 8 degreesC, particularly percent compression after 15 weeks. The change in fracturability could partly be explained (R(2)-43.4%) by the content of the NSP and the increase in percent compression by dry matter (R(2)-91.8%). Changes in texture during storage at 4 degreesC, however, were not striking, and could not be explained by changes in the potato components that were analysed.