Enrichment of the glycoalkaloids alpha-solanine and alpha-chaconine from potato juice by adsorptive bubble separation using a pH gradient.

For the first time, the solanidine alkaloids alpha-solanine and alpha-chaconine could be quantitatively enriched from potato juice by Adsorptive Bubble Separation (ABS) with a pH gradient. The enrichment into the foam was influenced by the pH value, bubble size, and gas flow rate. The efficiency was highest on using diluted samples with a concentration between 2 and 6 mg L(-1) of the alkaloids at pH 6.0. The experiments with a standard solution of each alkaloid confirmed that these substances can be quantitatively enriched into the 'spumat' without surface active potato proteins. The transfer into the foam fraction under these conditions was similar to that from the aqueous potato extract.