Lipids in Potato

Abstract

Potato tuber is rich in carbohydrates, but it also contains essential lipids. The total lipid content of the potato is approximately 0.15%–0.5% of the fresh weight. The lipids of potato are enriched in linoleic and linolenic acids. It may contain bioactive lipid compounds like glycolipid, phospholipids, sterols and carotenoids which are more desirable for their health-promoting effects. Biosynthesis of fatty acid takes place mainly in two organelles, viz., plastid and endoplasmic reticulum. Presence of lipid, phosphates and low-molecular-weight-proteins in the interior of the starch granules leads to interaction with the starch. These properties affects the starch physicochemical characteristics like gelatinization, retrogradation, swelling and viscosity during the processing of potato. The extraction and estimation of lipid content can be done by using a combination of n-propanol and water. In TLC chromatography method chloroform-methanol is used to separate various lipid components and further subjected to gas chromatography. Growing condition of potato crop, storage and cooking of potato may affect the lipid content. Efforts have been made to increase the lipid content in potato through conventional breeding and transgenic approaches. However, high lipid content in potato may affect the starch accumulation and composition which may lead to enhanced sugar content. More research needs to be carried out for the development of potato cultivars with an adequate amount of lipid content without affecting starch metabolism.