CHIPPING PERFORMANCE OF 3 PROCESSING POTATO CULTIVARS DURING LONG-TERM STORAGE AT 2 TEMPERATURE REGIMES

Three potato cultivars (Russet Burbank, Norchip, and Gemchip) grown wi th nitrogen applied at three rates were stored at two temperature regi mes (Treatment 1: 13 months at 10 C Treatment 2: 1 month at 10 C; foll owed by a 1 C decrease per week until tubers were 4 C; followed by 6 m onths at 4 C; followed by a 1 C increase per week until tubers were 10 C; followed by 3 months at 10 C). Tuber chemical components and potat o chip appearance were measured at harvest and after 3, 6, 9, 11, 12, and 13 months; these measurements were performed within 24 hours of th e time potatoes were removed from storage. Sugar responses (tuber gluc ose, fructose, sucrose) and potato chip appearance were affected by cu ltivar over time in both years and storage temperatures. Russet Burban k tubers displayed a significantly higher glucose forming potential an d produced darker appearing chips, regardless of storage temperature o r time in storage, compared to Norchip and Gemchip. Potatoes receiving a cold-storage treatment contained less sugar and produced lighter ap pearing chips after 12 months storage compared to tubers stored at a c onstant 10 C for 12 months. The linear association between tuber chemi cal components and potato chip appearance varied with storage temperat ure.