Identification of secondary plant metabolites causing off-flavors in potato protein by mass spectrometry

Off-flavor is the main problem for potato protein to be sold in significant amounts as food ingredients. The off-flavor formation in the potato starch side streams have different origins and are thus by nature highly diverse. One of the is secondary plant metabolites e.g. triglycoalkaloids (TGAs).¹ Solanine and chaconine are the two major triglycoalkaloids in potato1 but more secondary metabolites may play a role. The strategy to understand the metabolites that may cause off-flavor is to conduct a metabolomics study of five different varieties and to build up a potato plant metabolite directory from the generated knowledge. The LC-MS metabolomics study can be supported by quantitative analysis of the most common triglycoalkaloids². 


References:
¹ Friedman M. Potato glycoalkaloids and metabolites: roles in the plant and in the diet- (2006). J Agric Food Chem. 15;54(23):8655-81. doi: 10.1021/jf061471t. 
² Nielsen SD, Schmidt JM, Kristiansen GH, Dalsgaard TK, & Larsen LB (2020).  Liquid chromatography mass spectrometry quantification of glycoalkaloids in potato protein powder. Foods, 9, 416, doi:10.3390/foods9040416