Patata - Descrizione

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Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.)
(tuber of the family Solanaceae; fresh food and industrial ingredient)

• Starchy tuber with low fat and notable potassium density, marketed in many varieties (waxy vs floury) suited to different culinary and processing uses.
• Dry matter (~18–24%) and reducing sugars drive yield, frying color, and suitability (boiling, baking, mashing, frying, industrial processing).
• The skin carries phenolics and pigments (e.g., anthocyanins in purple potatoes); light exposure can cause greening (chlorophyll) and raise glycoalkaloids.

Common name: Potato
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Solanales
Family: Solanaceae
Genus: Solanum
Most common species: Solanum tuberosum (common potato)

Indicative nutrition values (per 100 g edible portion, raw; typical ranges)

• Energy: ~70–85 kcal
• Carbohydrate: ~15–18 g (starch predominant; sugars ~0.5–1 g)
• Dietary fiber: ~1.5–3 g
• Protein: ~1.8–2.5 g
• Fat: ~0.05–0.2 g — SFA (saturated fatty acids, keep overall dietary intake low), MUFA and PUFA negligible
• Potassium: ~300–500 mg • Vitamin C: ~10–20 mg (declines with cooking) • Vitamin B6: ~0.2–0.3 mg
• Sodium: very low (rises when salted/seasoned)
• Note: cooking and cooling can increase resistant starch (RS).

Key constituents

• Starch (A/B granules; gelatinizes ~58–70 °C) and resistant starch (↑ after cooling).
• Fibers (cellulose/hemicelluloses/pectins), potato proteins, minerals (K, Mg), vitamin C and B6.
• Phenolics (e.g., chlorogenic acid), carotenoids/anthocyanins in colored varieties.
• Glycoalkaloids (solanine + chaconine): naturally present—manage via good practices.

Production process

• Cultivation: varietal selection, fertilization/irrigation management, IPM (integrated pest management).
• Harvest and initial curing/storage to set skin.
• Grading: by size, defects, dry matter; directed to fresh market or processing (peeling, cutting, cooking, drying, frying, etc.).
• Post-harvest: sprout control with compliant methods; cold chain/logistics under GMP/HACCP.

Physical properties

• Typical dry matter 18–24% (varietal/soil dependent); density used as a technological proxy.
• Reducing sugars (glucose/fructose) affect browning and potential acrylamide in frying.
• High aw in fresh tubers; pulp pH ~5.5–6.5.
• Waxy varieties hold shape; floury varieties fall apart (ideal for mash/bake).

Sensory and technological properties

• Starch gelatinization → body/viscosity; retrogradation → more RS (firmer texture when cooled).
• Frying color governed by reducing sugars/moisture/temperature; acrylamide risk rises with over-browning.
• Cooking performance: waxy for salads/stews; floury for mash/gnocchi/baking.
• Skins are edible and nutritious when well washed; discard green/bitter areas.

Food applications

• Fresh: boiled/steamed, baked, mashed, gnocchi, fries/chips, salads, soups.
• Industry: potato flakes/granules, starch, par-fried/frozen, extruded snacks, chilled/ready meals.
• Gastronomy: clean binder/bulking in fillings and plant-based patties; thickener for soups/sauces.

Nutrition & health

Potato is low in fat and a good potassium source, with vitamin C in the flesh (better preserved by steaming or microwave with little water than by prolonged boiling/peeling). Starch provides ready energy; cooling after cooking (and serving cold or reheated) increases resistant starch, which may support post-prandial glycaemic moderation and microbiota benefits.
Glycaemic impact varies with variety, cooking method, and serving temperature (hot vs cold). Saturated fat (sfa) in potatoes is negligible; lipid impact of the dish depends on cooking fats and toppings.
For safety, avoid potatoes with pronounced greening, sprouts, or strong bitterness (glycoalkaloids): peel generously and discard green/damaged parts.
In low-sodium diets potatoes help (very low intrinsic Na); for weight control, portion size, cooking method, and condiments are key.

Portion note: As a side, 150–200 g cooked potatoes (≈ 250–300 g raw with skin) is a practical serving. For higher RS, cook–cool and serve as salad or reheat gently.

Quality and specifications (typical topics)

• Declared variety/use (waxy/floury), size, defects (greening, sprouts, bruises), reducing sugars, dry matter.
• Residues: pesticides ≤ MRL; contaminants within limits.
• Microbiology: clean surface; decay-free; for minimally processed (fresh-cut) strict criteria apply.
• Glycoalkaloids: monitor per guidance/limits; mitigate via darkness, careful handling.
• For processing: targets for frying color, time/temperature, yield and oil uptake.

Storage and shelf-life

• Fresh: store dark, well ventilated, RH 85–95%; avoid light (greening) and too low temperatures (cold-sweetening) or too warm (sprouting).
• Home storage: avoid prolonged refrigeration; industrial storage controlled (~6–10 °C per end use).
• Shelf-life: weeks to months by variety/conditions; peeled/cut products need protective atmosphere and cold chain.

Safety and regulatory

• Fresh produce subject to marketing standards (category/size) and cleanliness.
• Processed items: compliance with GMP/HACCP, allergen management (e.g., sulfites only if used for anti-browning), hygiene/traceability labeling.
• Acrylamide mitigation in fried/baked products via good processing practices.

Labeling

• Name: “potatoes” (+ variety/origin if required). For processed items state treatments (e.g., pre-fried, frozen) and ingredients/additives used.
• Provide storage and cooking instructions; optionally advise discarding green/sprouted parts.

Troubleshooting

• Enzymatic browning after cutting → use cold water/brief acidulation; keep low temperature during prep.
• Too dark when fried → high reducing sugars or excessive temperature → select suitable lots, optimize time/temperature, blanch if needed.
• Breaking apart in boiling → floury variety → choose waxy for salads.
• Bitter/green taste → light exposure/sprouting → trim or discard; improve storage.
• High oil uptake in frying → surface moisture high or low oil temperature → dry thoroughly and fry at correct temperature.

Sustainability and supply chain

• High yield per hectare; peel/pulp side-streams valorized for feed/biogas; wastewater managed to BOD/COD targets with heat/water recovery.
• Favor sound agronomy (rotations, efficient irrigation, IPM), optimized cold logistics, and recyclable packaging; supplier programs and residue control under GMP/HACCP.

INCI functions (cosmetics)

• Solanum Tuberosum (Potato) Starch/Extract: absorbent/opacifying, viscosity-controlling, mild exfoliant in powders/scrubs; usage/claims per cosmetic regulations.

Conclusion

Potato is a versatile, nutritionally sound ingredient—low in fat, notable for potassium—with technological performance tunable by variety, cooking method, and reducing-sugar management. Final quality hinges on varietal choice, proper storage, process specs, and portioning/condiments in the finished dish.

Mini-glossary

• SFA: Saturated fatty acids — Excess intake may raise LDL-cholesterol; potatoes contribute negligible amounts.
• MUFA: Monounsaturated fatty acids — Favorable when replacing saturates.
• PUFA: Polyunsaturated fatty acids — Beneficial when balanced and protected from oxidation.
• RS (resistant starch): Starch fraction not digested in the small intestine; increases with cooling/retrogradation.
• GI (glycaemic index): Post-prandial glycaemic response measure; varies by variety and cooking.
• MRL: Maximum residue limits — Legal limits for pesticide residues.
• IPM: Integrated pest management — Field pest-control strategy combining methods.
• GMP/HACCP: Good manufacturing practice / hazard analysis and critical control points — Preventive hygiene and process-control systems.
• BOD/COD: Biochemical/chemical oxygen demand — Wastewater impact metrics guiding treatment.
• aw: Water activity — Lower aw improves microbial stability in processed products.

About 80% of the weight of a fresh potato tuber is water; almost all the remaining dry matter is starch. Most of the starch (70%) is amylopectin, the rest being amylose (1).

Particular warning about the potato skin, which is a concentrate of phenolic compounds with antioxidant activity (2) and dietary fibres.

Potatoes are a source of carbohydrates in the diet all over the world and are generally considered high glycaemic index (3) foods, the parameter that indicates how much glucose is present in the blood.

Another problem with potato consumption is the pesticide residue that can be found in this tuber. Warning should be given as to where it is grown and what fertilisation it is subjected to.

In addition, warning must be given to prolonged frying at high temperatures, which degrades the qualities of the oil and the potato itself, generating acrylamide, a potentially carcinogenic molecule (4)

References_______________________________________________________________________

(1) Diego Fajardo, Sastry S. Jayanty, Shelley H. Jansky Rapid High Throughput Amylose Determination in Freeze Dried Potato Tuber Samples J Vis Exp. 2013; (80): 50407. Published online 2013 Oct 14. doi: 10.3791/50407

Abstract. This protocol describes a high through put colorimetric method that relies on the formation of a complex between iodine and chains of glucose molecules in starch. Iodine forms complexes with both amylose and long chains within amylopectin. After the addition of iodine to a starch sample, the maximum absorption of amylose and amylopectin occurs at 620 and 550 nm, respectively. The amylose/amylopectin ratio can be estimated from the ratio of the 620 and 550 nm absorbance values and comparing them to a standard curve in which specific known concentrations are plotted against absorption values. This high throughput, inexpensive method is reliable and reproducible, allowing the evaluation of large populations of potato clones.

(2) Akyol H, Riciputi Y, Capanoglu E, Caboni MF, Verardo V. Phenolic Compounds in the Potato and Its Byproducts: An Overview. Int J Mol Sci. 2016 May 27;17(6):835. doi: 10.3390/ijms17060835.

Abstract. The potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is a tuber that is largely used for food and is a source of different bioactive compounds such as starch, dietary fiber, amino acids, minerals, vitamins, and phenolic compounds. Phenolic compounds are synthetized by the potato plant as a protection response from bacteria, fungi, viruses, and insects. Several works showed that these potato compounds exhibited health-promoting effects in humans. However, the use of the potato in the food industry submits this vegetable to different processes that can alter the phenolic content. Moreover, many of these compounds with high bioactivity are located in the potato's skin, and so are eliminated as waste. In this review the most recent articles dealing with phenolic compounds in the potato and potato byproducts, along with the effects of harvesting, post-harvest, and technological processes, have been reviewed. Briefly, the phenolic composition, main extraction, and determination methods have been described. In addition, the "alternative" food uses and healthy properties of potato phenolic compounds have been addressed.

(3) Lin Ek K, Wang S, Brand-Miller J, Copeland L. Properties of starch from potatoes differing in glycemic index. Food Funct. 2014 Oct;5(10):2509-15. doi: 10.1039/c4fo00354c.

Abstract. Potatoes are a popular source of dietary carbohydrate worldwide and are generally considered to be a high glycemic index (GI) food. Potato starch characteristics play a key role in determining their rate of digestion and resulting glycemic response. Starches isolated from seven potato cultivars with different GI values, including a low GI cultivar (Carisma), were examined for relative crystallinity, granule size distribution, amylopectin chain length, and thermal and pasting properties. Starch from the Carisma cultivar was more thermally stable and more resistant to gelatinization, with significantly higher (p < 0.05) pasting temperature and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) gelatinization onset, peak and conclusion temperatures, compared to the other cultivars. Differences between the potatoes in the other properties measured did not align with the GI ranking. Thermal analysis and starch pasting properties may be useful indicators for preliminary identification of potato cultivars that are digested slowly and have a lower GI.

(4) Di Francesco A, Mari M, Ugolini L, Parisi B, Genovese J, Lazzeri L, Baraldi E. Reduction of acrylamide formation in fried potato chips by Aureobasidum pullulans L1 strain. Int J Food Microbiol. 2019 Jan 16;289:168-173. doi: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2018.09.018.


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