Food - Global Science Books

Food
SPECIAL ISSUES: POTATO: FOOD, NUTRITION AND HEALTH (Guest Editors: Nigel Yee, William Bussell (Unitec, New
Zealand)) ~ April, 2009
Special Issue 2
Miquel Nofrarías, Daniel Martínez-Puig, José F. Pérez (Spain) Potential Health Benefits of Potato Starch (pp 1-7)
ABSTRACT
Invited Mini-Review: Starch is considered a major source of available energy in the human diet. In potato, starch content
varies from 70 to 90% on a dry matter basis depending on the botanical variety. The traditional view of starch digestion is that to
a large extent starch is rapidly digested. However, a variable fraction of ingested starch can escape digestion in the foregut, and
ferment later in the hindgut (RS, resistant starch). Raw potato starch is largely considered as a high RS ingredient. However,
potato is mostly consumed processed, which gelatinizes starch at different extents, and this will have an effect on the
composition and nutritional values (glycemic index and RS content). In general, processed potato has high levels of digestible
starch, although the values may decrease with an increased time of storage after cooking. RS is becoming more desirable in
the human diet because of its relevance to health, on the prevention and control of some digestive and metabolic disorders. RS
intake, in substitution to digestible starch, seems to decrease postprandial glycemic and insulinemic responses, improve whole
body insulin sensitivity, increase satiety, lower plasma cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations, and reduce fat storage. RS
has also been associated with protective effects on chronic colonic diseases, including reduction of colon cancer risk and in the
treatment of bowel inflammatory conditions. In summary, this review presents the current understanding of potato starch and
potential health benefits which are likely to be associated with intake of resistant potato starch.
Daisuke Ichiura, Aki Naemura, Mayumi Ura, Motoyuki Mori, Junichiro Yamamoto (Japan) Anti-Thrombotic Effect of Potato
in Animal Experiments (pp 8-12)
ABSTRACT
Original Research Paper: Prevention of atherothrombotic diseases is an important and urgent social task in the developed
world. Inappropriate diet plays a causative role in the development and clinical outcome of thrombotic diseases. We have been
testing fruits and vegetables and found that some varieties have a significant anti-thrombotic effect. The present study aimed to
test twenty potato varieties using in vitro test (Global Thrombosis Test-GTT) and animal models of thrombosis (laser-induced
thrombosis in the carotid artery of mice). Potato varieties Touya (yellow), Hokkaikogane (yellow) and Star ruby (yellow) showed
heat-resistant anti-thrombotic effects. Including these varieties in daily diet may be beneficial in thrombosis prevention.
Zenon Zduńczyk, Iwona Kosieradzka (Poland) Nutritional Properties of Tubers of Genetically Modified Potatoes Cultivated in
Poland - A Review (pp 13-22)
ABSTRACT
Invited Mini-Review: This review addresses in vivo experiments concerning nutritional and health properties of tubers of
transgenic potatoes cultivated in a field experiment in Poland. Genetic modification was conducted with three aims: (1) to
improve resistance to a necrotic strain of Potato virus Y (transgenic lines with a truncated gene coding PVY N polymerase in the
sense or antisense orientation and lines with a non-translated region of the PVY N genome in the sense or antisense orientation),
(2) to modulate the content of flavonoids through overexpression of 14-3-3 protein from Cucurbita pepo or to repress the gene
encoding protein ADP-ribosylation factor, and (3) to enhance flavonoids synthesis through overexpression of the enzymes of
the flavonoid synthesis pathway, i.e. chalcone synthase, chalcone isomerase and dihydroflavonol dehydrogenase. Special
attention is focused on differentiated chemical composition and nutritional properties of diets. Investigations were conducted on
rats fed for 3-5 weeks diets with a high content (20-40%) of autoclaved and dried potato tubers. The in vivo experiments
indicate that tubers of genetically modified potato are a substantial and nutritional equivalent to the non-transgenic cultivars,
although some indices of the physiological response of animals pointed to the need for conducting longer investigations.
Andreas Schieber, Marleny D. Aranda Saldaña (Canada) Potato Peels: A Source of Nutritionally and Pharmacologically
Interesting Compounds – A Review (pp 23-29)