NUTRIENT COMPOSITION AND TOXIC FACTOR CONTENT OF 4 WILD-SPECIES OF MEXICAN POTATO

The nutrient composition and toxic factor content of four wild species of Mexican potato were determined to compare the nutritional and toxi c potentials with those of a cultivated variety. The nutrient composit ion did not show nide differences, but the true protein contents of wi ld species did. As expected, starch was the principal component, free sugars were found in very low levels, and the amylose/amylopectin rati o (20:80 average) did not indicate any special difference between the wild species and the cultivated one. Sulfur amino acids were deficient in all of the samples, and the cultivated species showed the highest chemical score. All of the samples showed low content of lectins and t rypsin inhibitors, but two wild species showed >20 TUI/mg. Alkaloids w ere present in higher quantities in the wild species than in the culti vated one.