Widely Untargeted Metabolome Profiling Provides Insight into Browning and Nutritional Quality Changes in Short-Term Stored Fresh-Cut Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Shreds

Abstract

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is susceptible to enzymatic browning after fresh processing, resulting in color change and potential alteration in the nutritional quality. In this study, a popular potato cultivar, Feiwuruita, was used to profile the metabolites involved in color and nutritional quality changes in fresh shreds stored at 0 and 4 h at 25°C (designated CK and CK4H, respectively). The shreds turned brown within 4 h of storage. In all, 723 metabolites consisting 12 classes of compounds were detected in the samples, largely lipids, phenolic acids, alkaloids, amino acids and derivatives, flavonoids, organic acids, nucleotides and derivatives. Of these, 163 metabolites accumulated differentially between CK and CK4H shreds. Polyphenolic compounds (phenolic acids and flavonoids) mostly increased in the shreds after 4 h storage. Conversely, the short-term storage drastically reduced lipid compounds (25 LysoPC and 19 LysoPE), while essential alkaloids and terpenoid compounds that are beneficial to human health increased in accumulation. The findings present global metabolome and nutritional composition changes in short-term stored shreds of Feiwuruita. This study provides important foundation for future studies on browning prevention/reduction and for better utilization of Feiwuruita.