Compositional analyses of diverse phytochemicals and polar metabolites from different-colored potato (Solanum tubersum L.) tubers.

Lipophilic bioactive compounds and hydrophilic primary metabolites from potato (solanum tubersum L.) tubers with different-colored flesh (white-, yellow-, red-, and purple) were characterized. The carotenoid content was relatively higher in red-colored potatoes, in which lutein was most plentiful. Among the other lipophilic compounds analyzed, including policosanols, tocopherols, and phytosterols, octacosanol was measured in the largest amount, followed by β-sitosterol, irrespective of color variations. Forty-three hydrophilics consisting of amino acids, organic acids, sugars, and sugar alcohols and 18 lipophilics were subjected to data-mining processes. The results of multivariate statistical analyses clearly distincted the different varieties and separated red-fleshed potatoes from other color-fleshed potatoes according to abundance of amino acids, sugars, and carotenoids. This study confirmed the metabolic association-related biochemical pathway between metabolite characteristic and color differences in potato tubers. These results can facilitate understanding the metabolic differences among diverse colored potatoes and provide fruitful information for genetic engineering of potato cultivars.