BOOSTING THE ANTIOXIDANT LEVELS-A NEW APPROACH

Potato is not considered a good source of antioxidants but if efforts by a group of scientists in increasing the level of antioxidants bear fruit, probably it may enhance its value as a healthy food. Normally potato is a source of starch, providing a significant portion of food calories in diets of some populations. Besides it is also a good source of potassium and some minor nutrients. Industrially the snacks derived from potato are very popular world over while products like French fries, Tater tots are commonly consumed food items served in many fast food chain outlets in the western world. Besides starch preparations derived from potato have special properties as an industrial starch and are much sought after. Vitamin C, Polyphenols, Carotenoids, Anthocyanins etc present in potato provides the antioxidant activity, its ORAC value being 7.8-14.2. Subjecting potatoes to electrical stimulus has been found to increase its antioxidant value significantly.

The electrical treatment involved immersing the potatoes in a salt solution for 10 seconds and then applying a small electrical charge for 10, 20, and 30 minutes. Reseachers then measured both the antioxidant activity and the phenolic content. Both treatments increased signifantly the stressed potatoes' antioxidant content. For example, t he five minute ultrasound treatment increased polyphenol levels by 1.2 times and other antioxidants by about 1.6 times. Subsequent results revealed that antioxidant levels had rocketed by up to 60 per cent. "We knew from research done in the past that drought, bruising, and other stresses could stimulate the accumulation of beneficial phenolic compounds in fresh produce," said Hironaka who is with Obihiro University in Hokkaido, Japan. "We found that there hasn't been any research on the healthful effects of using mechanical processes to stress vegetables. So we decided in this study to evaluate effect of ultrasound and electric treatments on polyphenols and other antioxidants in potatoes." Growing consumer interest in healthy or functional foods could mean a bright future for the low cost and straight-forward treatment techniques.

Though the above findings are of some academic interest, pursuing this line of research may yet elevate the status of this humble tuber as a health boosting food. How far such a development will be of interest to the processing industry depends on many factors but at house hold level a high antioxidant activity potato can be a boon to those who consume potato regularly as the staple. Increased levels of poly phenols can pose problems to the processing industry because of the activity of the native poly phenol oxidase enzyme system which can tend to develop brown color during peeling and cutting process, marring the appearance of end products.

V.H.POTTY
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POTATO GOES "GM" WAY IN EUROPE-BUT ONLY FOR NON FOOD USE

European Union gave its first approval for the cultivation of genetically modified (GM) potato developed exclusively for use by starch industry for non-food applications. Though the decision was not unanimous, there appears to be substantial support amongst the member countries for clearing GM crops many of them in the pipe line seeking such approval. Taking a cautious step, GM potato has been given a conditional clearance but the waste products generated from the starch industry using this raw material can be fed to animals.

"Amflora produces pure amylopectin starch used in certain technical applications. Food use is not foreseen. It was developed in collaboration with experts from the European starch industry to respond to the demand for pure amylopectin starch. Conventional potatoes produce a mixture of amylopectin and amylose starch. For many technical applications, such as in the paper, textile and adhesives industries, pure amylopectin is advantageous, but separating the two starch components is uneconomical. The industry will benefit from high-quality Amflora starch that optimizes industrial processes: it gives paper a higher gloss, and concrete and adhesives can be processed for a longer period of time. This reduces the consumption of energy, additives and raw materials such as water".

According to those who oppose GM potato, Amflora carries an extra gene that can make the potato resistant to the antibiotics neomycin and kanamycin. This has been refuted by the developers though only time will tell whether this is true. GM plants are produced by inserting novel genes into individual plant cells and then growing the cells into whole plants in the laboratory. Gene insertion can be achieved by using a bacterium to "ferry" it into the cell or by blasting it in using a gene gun. Alternatively, the tough plant cell wall can be stripped off and the gene can be inserted into this "naked" cell. Regardless of the technique used, not all of the plant cells will take up the novel gene and incorporate it into their own DNA, the probability being about five cells out of every thousand succeeding. Tagging the novel gene with an antibiotic resistance gene allows modified cells to be singled out, because they will be resistant to a specific range of antibiotics. It is quite possible that EU must have taken the decision to approve this crop for cultivation after weighing the risk involved in such a major policy reversal. It is another matter that more than 70% of the population in EU oppose GM foods!

V.H.POTTY

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