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The chemical composition of white potatoes

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Conclusions and Summary

The percentage of starch in white potatoes has been shown to vary widely with the variety and many climatic and cultural conditions from as low as 9.6 in the Earlaine No. 2 variety, grown only to a slight extent, to 20.0 in Green Mountains. Some samples of commercial potatoes of the Bliss variety have tested as low as 8 per cent. The average starch content of all Maine seed and table stock potatoes is now about 12 per cent (1950 crop). This average can change rapidly because of changes in the per cent grown of relatively low and high starch potatoes. The present trend is apparently toward higher starch potatoes.

Next to starch in order of quality is nitrogenous material as proteins, intermediate hydrolysis products of proteins, and amino acids. The nonstarch carbohydrates, as cellulose, pentozans, pectins, etc., then usually follow although they may exceed the nitrogenous compounds. Then come the mineral compounds, especially potassium phosphate. Last is the large number of compounds as the organic acids, enzymes, ether extractives as fat and oil, and enzymes, which are present in very small quantities, and vitamins, present in traces.

The composition of white whole potatoes can be summarized approximately as follows, the analytical data having been collected from much new and old original data from the writer’s laboratory and from many published sources.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Maine, USA

    C. A. Brautlecht (Professor Emeritus)

  2. Agricultural Experiment Station, University of Maine, USA

    A. S. Getchell (Assistant Chemist)

Authors
  1. C. A. Brautlecht
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  2. A. S. Getchell
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Brautlecht, C.A., Getchell, A.S. The chemical composition of white potatoes. American Potato Journal 28, 531–550 (1951). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02850251

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