Quality changes in raw and processed potatoes as influenced by storage conditions and bacterial soft rot disease

Potato ranks fourth after wheat, rice and corn as a major food crop. It is an excellent source of nutrients and at the same time relatively inexpensive, therefore it is the mainstay in the diets of people in both developed and developing countries. Potato losses and quality degradation due to the effect of storage variables or processing conditions must be reduced to increase the world food supply. To accomplish these objectives, studies have been conducted to evaluate: (a) quality changes in potatoes during cooking and frying, (b) quality changes in raw potatoes as influenced by storage conditions, (c) changes in cooking quality of potatoes as influence by storage conditions, (d) changes in frying quality of potatoes as influenced by storage conditions, and finally (e) quality changes in potatoes as influenced by Erwinia carotovora ssp. carotovora infection (Ecc, casual agent of soft rot disease in potato).Kinetics of quality changes during cooking and frying of potatoes were evaluated. Potatoes were cooked at 80--100°C or fried at 160--190°C for selected times and their texture and color were evaluated. Results showed that texture values of cooked potatoes decreased with the progress of cooking, and the rate of texture changes at each temperature was found to be consistent with two pseudo first-order kinetic mechanisms. Textural values of fried potatoes increased with frying time and followed a first order kinetic model. Cooked potatoes were less bright, more red and less yellow in color as compared to raw samples. A modified first order model was used to characterize the color changes kinetics of both cooked and fried potatoes based on the changes occurring between the initial and a maximum or minimum value. 10 min cooking at 100°C and 10 min frying at 180°C were considered to give the designed cooked and fried products, respectively.The changes in quality characteristics of potatoes as a function of storage variables (temperature and time) were evaluated. Potatoes were stored at five temperatures (4, 8, 12, 16 and 20°C) for selected duration (at least 5 time intervals) and different physico-chemical quality parameters were evaluated. Potatoes remained healthier when they stored at lower temperatures due to absence of sprouts and visible spoilage. They became softer and darker by passage of time