Relationships between physical characteristics, chemical composition, and sensory attributes of four potato varieties

Potato ( Solanum tuberosum L.) is one of the world's leading crops, behind only maize, wheat and rice. Although the flavor of processed potatoes is important to consumers, the mix of chemical compounds that influence flavor attributes is not well defined. In this study, the effect of tuber condition (with and without peel) and heat treatment (cooking and baking) on the physical characteristics, chemical components and sensory acceptability of four potato varieties ( Solanum tuberosum group phureja and tuberosum) was evaluated. Puña negra variety was characterized by a dark coloration, with low values in all color components, while Leona blanca, Chola and Yema de huevo showed chromatic characteristics that reflected greater clarity and saturation of specific colors, which pleased the tasters. In the flavor, tubers baked or cooked with peel showed greater sensory acceptability, which correlated with the increase in total sugars, especially in Yema de huevo. The peel protected the structure of the tubers and helped to retain nutrients; however, its elimination helped to lower the glycoalkaloids content and improve the safety of tubers for consumption. The thermal process (cooking, baking) increased the energy value of the potatoes in comparison of the raw tubers, changes to which the presence or absence of the peel contributed. The results of this research revealed differences between the potato cultivars, presence or absence of peel and heat treatment applied (cooking, baking) and demonstrated associations of various chemical compounds with the different sensory attributes.