Effect of fertilisation, development stage, mechanical impact and heating during processing on subsurface hardening in pre-peeled potatoes (Solarium tuberosum L.)

Studies of the effect of fertilisation stress, harvest time, machine sorting, storage time, peeling and blanching of potatoes (Solarium tuberosum L.) were carried out. Mechanical impact by sorting before storage did not have a significant effect on hardness of pre-peeled potatoes. Potato hardness decreased significantly with the storage time for raw potatoes following an exponential function. Treatment of potatoes in a damage drum for 5 minutes (36 drops from 35 cm) increased the subsurface hardening, production of brick-like cells and deposition of suberin. Potato hardness throughout the whole potatoes increased with blanching time by blanching at 85 and 95 °C. It was concluded that development of potato hardiness occur because of two mechanisms. That is: 1) wound healing by periderm formation with deposition of suberin and: 2) activation of methyl esterase activity by blanching and subsequent crosslinking of demethoxylated pectin by calcium ions, respectively.