Potato peels have medicinal value

Hyderabad: The next time you peel a potato, think twice for the researchers at the Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata, say that peels have medicinal value. A novel approach of using them, which are usually discarded by households, as natural anti-oxidants in Omega-3 acids-fortified foods has been mooted by three researchers of the Indian Statistical Institute, Barrackpore, Kolkata. In a paper submitted to the International Conference on Biotechnological Research and Innovation for Sustainable Development (BioSD0-2018) which concluded at the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT) on November 25, Abhishek Bhattacharya, Shilpa Purkait, Anwesa Bag, Rabi Ranjan Chattopadhyay noted that phenolic-rich potato peels may have the ability to retard the oxidation of Omega-3 fatty acids-enriched food supplements.

The researchers stated that in recent years, to increase the nutritional value of foods and reduce the risk of chronic diseases, Omega-3 fatty acids-enriched oils have been added in food. “But developing Omega-3 fortified food is challenging because Omega-3 fatty acids are highly prone to oxidation due to high degree of unsaturation in their molecural structure. Although synthetic preservatives are generally used to control this problem, these synthetic preservatives have accumulated evidence that they could be toxic and carcinogenic,” the researchers observed.
Therefore, there has been a growing interest to seek safe and effective novel natural anti-oxidants from other sources, especially from plant origin. Plant polyphenols may serve as a promising alternative to synthetic anti-oxidant food preservatives due to their redox potential. Potato peels are rich in phenolic compounds.

The paper noted that potato-processing industries generate substantial quantities of potato peels as zero-value waste byproduct. The researchers said during their investigation an attempt had been made to probe the use of phenolics of potato peels of some selected varieties of potato (Kufri Chipsona-1, Kufri Chipsona-3, Kufri Jyoti and Kufri Chandramukhi). The research results provided evidence that among the tested potato varieties, phenolics of peels of Kufri Chipsona-3 may serve as a potential source of anti-oxidants for retarding oxidation of Omega-3 fatty acids-enriched food supplements, which subsequently may help in developing Omega-3 fortified food.

BOX

Fortified oils available in market. In recent years, to increase the nutritional value of foods & reduce the risk of chronic diseases, Omega-3 fatty acids-enriched oils have been added in food. Potato-processing industries generate substantial quantities of peels as zero-value waste byproduct. There has been a growing interest to seek safe and effective novel natural anti-oxidants from other sources, especially from plant origin. Plant polyphenols may serve as a promising alternative to synthetic anti-oxidant food preservatives due to their redox potential. Potato peels are rich in phenolic compounds.