INFLUENCE OF POTATO COMPOSITION ON CHIP COLOR QUALITY

Potato constituents were monitored to evaluate their contribution to p otato chip color. Five chipping potato varieties: Snowden, AC Ptarmiga n, FL 1625, FL 1815 and ND2471-8 were evaluated. Ascorbic acid, sugars , phenolic acids, and amino acids were determined and quantified by Hi gh Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and the color of potato ch ips was measured by both CIELab Hunter-ColorQuest and Agtron instrumen ts. Composition and chip color varied among the different varieties. A C Ptarmigan and ND2471-8 produced the darkest chip color (on average L = 49.0, chroma = 19.5, and hue angle = 62.9) compared with Fit 1815 (L = 58.4, chroma = 28.3 and hue angle = 75.7). Reducing sugar concen tration did not completely explain or predict color quality when it wa s present in low concentrations (ca < 60 mg/100g). Other reactants pre sent in the potato slices played an important role in the final color quality of potato chips. Multiple correlation analysis showed negative association of ascorbic acid (r = -0.7), fructose (r = -0.7), a chlor ogenic acid isomer (r = -0.7), glucose (r = -0.7) and glutamine (r = - 0.5) with potato chip color. Sucrose, chlorogenic acid and asparagine were poor estimators of chip color quality.