Background and methodology:
Many people are aware of personal health and the environment. This has resulted in increased attention to organic production of foods. The main focus of previous research on organic growing of potatoes has been on yields, disease control and nutritional value. Most studies that included quality aspects compared conventional and organic growing potatoes. Very little attention has been given to the sensory quality of potatoes produced by different organic treatments. This study describes the influence of six different organic treatments on sensory quality, rheology and chemical components relevant for sensory quality of potatoes.
Findings:
Manuring with slurry reduced dry matter, starch, phytic acid and increased N and rheological properties (modulus of deformity, stress and strain) significantly compared with deep litter manuring. Maturity of tubers was assumed to be the main cause of these differences. Regarding the sensory quality of potatoes, minor differences were found among the organic treatments investigated. Potatoes matured with slurry were slightly moister and seemed to have higher discoloration and off-odor and lower yellowness than potatoes manured with deep litter. Mealiness was highest when composted deep litter was ploughed in and lowest when deep litter and straw were the manure. Chlorogenic acid was the only phenolic acid that was affected by the organic treatements. The variation in phenolic acid and scopoletin contents did not seem to influence the off-taste of potatoes.
Reference:
Thybo, A. K., Mølgaard, J. P. & Kidmose, U. (2001). Effect of different organic growing conditions on quality of cooked potatoes. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 82:12-18