Relationship of Specific Gravity to the Enzymatic Activity and Phenolic Content of Potatoes

Abstract

SUMMARY The relationship of specific gravity to the phenolic content and enzymatic activity of Ontario potatoes grown in each of two consecutive years was studied. Phenolic content was found to be highest in tubers of highest specific gravity. Cytochrome oxidase activity tended to increase with increasing specific gravity up to the highest level, but, in each of the harvests studied, eytochrome oxidase activity dropped at the highest specific gravity level. Polyphenol oxidase, in relation to specific gravity, showed a trend opposite to that of cytochrome oxidase. Polyphenol oxidase activity decreased significantly with increasing specific gravity.