Browsing by Subject "peruna"

The literature review of this thesis deals with light, different light sources and their properties. LED (Light Emitting Diode) light was specially taken into consideration, because the use of LED lights will increase in general illumination. The literature review also deals with the quality changes of dairy products and potatoes caused by exposure to light. The aim of this study was to search for such a spectral distribution of light which would cause only minor changes in the sensory quality of milk and the surface colour of potatoes. Objective was to also find out if there is a difference between the effects of fluorescent light and LED light on the quality of milk and greening of potatoes. Reduced (1,5 %) fat milk and new potatoes were used as testing materials. The milk in commercial carton board packages was exposed to six different light sources: white fluorescent lamp, white LED and LED of four different colours. The potatoes packed in transparent LDPE (Low Density Poly Ethylene) bags were stored under five different light sources: white fluorescent lamp, white LED and LED of three different colours. The light intensity at the surface of the packages was about 1000 lx in both studies. In the milk study, the effects of light were evaluated with a sensory method using descriptive analysis. In the potato study, the light effects were analysed with colour measurements (avalue) using a spectrophotometer and with surface temperature measurements using a laser thermometer. Sensory evaluation of milk there resulted in few statistically significant differences in the intensity of the attributes between the milks stored under different light sources. Light exposure caused a rapid greening of potatoes in every illumination. According to colour change percentage, the greening order under different lights was: white LED < yellow LED < green LED < turquoise LED < fluorescent light. The potatoes which were stored in dark had no change in their surface colour. The surface temperature of potatoes increased most under white LED and turquoise LED lights. A spectral distribution of light which would have caused less changes in sensory quality of milk than commonly used fluorescent light was not found in this study. The results showed, however, that in addition to blue light which has always been considered the most harmful for milk the red light also caused remarkable quality changes. Based on the results of this study, it could be suggested that under the LED lights the quality of packed milk retained its quality characteristics at least as well as under the fluorescent light. There were differences between the effects of different lights on the greening of potatoes. White and yellow LED light caused less greening of potatoes than the other lights. The strongest greening of potatoes was observed under the fluorescent light.

This Master's thesis compares the commercial cooking tests of potatoes in Finland and Europe. The cooking type comprises the structural properties of potato, which are described e.g. in terms of floury and waxy or types A-D. Other measures of cooking quality, such as color, taste and odor, were excluded from the work. The main focus of the thesis was on the survey of European cooking type tests and on the comparative study of descriptors for different varieties. As the use of descriptors and terminology differ slightly from one country to another, the significance of the differences in the resulting cooking type result was also considered. In the study, seven varieties with seven different meters and a total of 12 different measuring methods were compared. The key method of the thesis was sensory evaluation by descriptive method. The descriptors were used as unambiguously as possible, such as evaluating flouriness by appearance and by palpation in the mouth. In addition to sensory evaluations, experiments with structure analysis, hyperspectral imaging, and color measurement were included in the study. The purpose of the analysis was to look at the descriptor ensembles, and to observe their dimension on the axis waxy - floury and possible other independent dimensions that would diversify the description of the cooking quality. The results were examined statistically by means of generalized linear models, correlations and principal component analysis. The thesis concluded that there are some differences between European ways of determining the cooking type, and in borderline cases, different results are possible. In general, European descriptor ensembles are strongly built to support the waxy-floury axis. In addition to the descriptor ensembles, the cooking type determination include procedures and calculation methods and cannot be separated from the whole. The results of the study support the fact that hardness/softness is an independent dimension, and hardness determined by the texture analyzer clearly distinguished the varieties. In sensory comparison, external observation and mouthfeel evaluation produced similar results, except for hardness assessment. The instrumental methods distinguished the varieties more clearly than sensory evaluation. Disintegration analyzed by color measurement and starch content is a viable combination for cooking type determination.

Bacterial soft rot and blackleg are amongst the major diseases of potato (Solanum tu-berosum L.). In Finland Pectobacterium atrosepticum, Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum, Pectobacterium wasabiae and Dickeya-species cause rotting of the tuber and softening of stems on potato. These diseases cause major postharvest losses and weaken the quality of the crop, which is a problem in seed potato production. The aim of this study was to determine whether the antagonistic bacteria are toxic to in vitro plants, as well as to study the ability of the antagonistic bacteria to spread inside or on the in vitro plants. It was also investigated if the antagonistic bacteria can prevent soft rot of potato in in vitro plants, as well as the ability of the antagonistic bacteria to prevent the spreading of soft rot bacteria from soil to the plants. This study was carried out in laboratory and in greenhouse conditions in the University of Helsinki at the Department of Agricultural Sciences. As potato material cultivar Melody was used and as antagonistic bacteria 10 different bacteria were chosen: Serratia plymuthica A30 (NR), Flavobacterium sp. strain B17 (A3), Agrobacterium sp. (A6), unsequensed bacteria isolated from potato root (A4), Serratia j5h9 (S1), Alcaligenes faecalis (R8), Bacillus M1ju27 (BC1), Bacillus S3H53 (BC2), Burkholderia M1423 (BK3) and Pseudomonas S2h50 (PS3). Dickeya solani and Pectobacterium carotovorum were used as pathogens. Although BC1, BC2, S1 and BK3 antagonists did not influence negatively the potato in vitro seedling growth they did not, however, properly prevent soft rot of in vitro plants. Further studies on preventing soft rot of in vitro plants is needed.

In a previous study, Pectobacterium strains were isolated from rotten potato tubers and stems. Strains were identified as P. carotovorum subspecies carotovorum by their biochemical properties. In acnA gene sequence analysis the strains isolated from diseased potato stems were different from P. carotovorum subspecies carotovorum type strain and also from strains isolated from rotten potato tubers. However, the strains isolated from rotten potato stems were not able to cause typical blackleg symptoms, like rotting of stems, when inoculated in potato plants. The focus of this master’s thesis was to further study if the new strains are pathogenic in nature or whether they could have arrived to already rotten potato tissue as secondary infection. One goal was to find out if the strains can produce compounds that inhibit growth of known blackleg pathogens, and could they make already contaminated potatoes disease free in a field. This was tested in vitro as well as in a field trial with two potato varieties. As a result the strains isolated from stems were able to produce toxic compounds that inhibited the growth of several common soft rot and blackleg pathogens, whereas compounds produced by the strains isolated from tubers had no effect on the growth of the other bacteria. This suggests that the strains present in stems have properties that make it possible for them to spread from the environment to already infected stem lesions and compete with blackleg and soft rot bacteria already present in the tissue. Blackleg symptoms were absent during the field trial, but in some cases the inoculations caused soft rot of tubers and stunted growth of the inoculated plants. The two potato varieties used in the field trial, Rikea and Fontane, had a different response against the used strains. Although the in vitro results suggested that some of the strains that were originally isolated from stems could act as biological control agents, the results from the field trial contradicted this indicating that the strains might have pathogenic properties, which makes them unsuitable as biological control organisms.

The potato virus Y (PVY) is a member of the family Potyvirus, which is the largest plant pathogenic virus family. PVY is one of the most important pathogens of the nightshade family (Solanaceae) plants. PVY is a particular problem in seed potato production, as well as in tomato and pepper production. Some PVY races cause necrotic symptoms (PTNRD) in potato tubers, which will make the tubers unsuitable for use. This thesis studied the ability of several recombinant strains of PVY to infect these three plant species. First objective was to find out which recombinant strains can infect the plants systemically and whether some of them will cause PTNRD symptoms in potato tubers. Secondly, we wanted to find out what parts or even specific amino acids in the HCpro of PVY affect the infection ability of the virus. This was done by comparing the genomes of the recombinant and wild type viruses and based on the experimental data. Finally, we wanted to see if the mutations would persist in the virus genomes for the duration of the infection. The test plants were infected by applying virus contaminated plant juice and grinding powder on the plant leaves. Plants were first grown in growing chambers and then transferred to a greenhouse. The plants were tested for viral infection with DAS-ELISA for three times during different stages of growth. To investigate whether the mutations had persisted in the virus genome, the viral RNA was isolated, multiplied with RT-PCR and then sequenced. Most of the recombinant viruses were not able to systemically infect either of the potato cultivars tested (cv. ‘Nicola’ and cv. ‘Annabelle’). ‘Nicola’ was more susceptible than ‘Annabelle’. The Tyr323Phe-mutation in the HCpro seemed to have a positive effect on the viruses ability to infect ‘Nicola’ in recombinant O5ON-F. PTNRD was caused by recombinants O5NNO45, N605-F and O5ON-F only in ‘Nicola’. Tyr323Phe-mutation had persisted in the N605-F during the infection. Tomato cv. ‘Moneymaker’ was more resistant towards the recombinants than cv. ‘Ildi’, though both cultivars were considerably more susceptible towards the recombinants than either of the potato cultivars or the pepper cultivars. The pepper cultivars tested were resistant towards PVYN605 and PVYOUK.

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is a plant that belongs to the group of nightshades (Solanaeceae). Enzymatic browning occurs in potato tuber when it is peeled or bruised. Polyphenols in tuber (e.g. chlorogenic acid and tyrosine) are oxidised into o-kinones by polyphenol oxidase. When kinones polymerise, melanins are formed. These compounds cause the brown colour in potato tubers. Sulfites are used as food additives in potatoes preventing enzymatic browning reactions. The maximum permitted usage levels in European Union are 50 mg SO2/kg in peeled potatoes, 100 mg SO2/kg in cooled and frozen potatoes and 400 mg SO2/kg in dried potato products (No 1333/2008). The allergy threshold limit for sulfites in food products is 10 mg SO2/kg (No 1169/2011). The objectives of this study were 1) to determine the sulfite content in various potato products on the market, 2) to examine the binding of sulfite on potato in the relation with temperature, time and concentration, 3) to examine sulfite content in different potato varieties and 4) to compare the HPLC results with the rapid determination methods. The objectives in the literature review were to study the use of a potato as a food component, industrial peeling of potatoes, enzymatic browning reactions, sulfites and their analytical methods. In this study, a modified RP-IP-HPLC-PC (Reversed Phase Ion-Pair High Performance Liquid Chromatography Post-Column) method was used. For rapid determination methods, two kits were used: Merck MQuantTM Sulfite Test and Neogen ALERT® for Sulphites in Seafood. 18 food products were selected to this study (6 mashed potato flours, 3 fresh products and 9 frozen). Box-Behnken Experimental Design was carried out prior to the examination of sulfite binding in different potato varieties (Belana, Nicola, Siikli, Gala, Jelly, Melody, Bellarosa, Afra and Puikula). Sulfite was found in four mashed potato flours and three fresh potato products. In flours, the content of sulfites were below the maximum limit, but over the allergy threshold limit (10 mg SO2/kg). However, sulfite was labelled. In fresh products, the content of sulfite in the first product was below the allergy threshold limit, the second product fell under the maximum limit but the third product exceeded it. In the first product sulfite was not labelled but in the other two ones it was. In Box-Behnken Experimental Design, results were analysed with one-way ANOVA. Concentration (%) had the biggest influence on sulfite binding on potato (p = 0,000) and then time (s) (p = 0,0079). Temperature (°C) didn’t have any statistical significance (p = 0,3513). According to the results, the best measurement point was 1 %, 60 s, +5 °C. The peeled potato varieties were sulfite treated in these conditions. Statistical analysis was carried out with one-way ANOVA and then Tukey HSD. According to the results, there was a statistical significance (p = 0,000) in sulfite binding in different potato varieties. Sulfite was bound most in Puikula (67,0 ± 8,8 mg SO2/kg) and least in Gala (19,7 ± 5,3 mg SO2/kg). The most difference within the varieties in sulfite binding were with Belana, Gala and Puikula. Jelly had a difference only with Gala. In rapid determination methods, ALERT® was more accurate than MQuantTM. ALERT® could be applied on the surface of the sample contrary to MQuantTM that needed 3 or 5 times dilution before measurement. ALERT® is a good choice for semiquantitative rapid method. MQuantTM, however, is not suitable for rapid measurement of sulfites in potato products.

A field experiment was conducted at Potato Reseach Institute during 1997-2002 in Lammi, Finland. The first aim of the work was to find out the suitability of three- and four-year crop rotation on potato production. The second aim was to investigate the effect of three different tilling methods and four different preceding crops on yield and quality of potato. The tilling methods were autumn and spring ploughing and light cultivation. The preceding crops were barley with straw left in the plots, barley with straw harvested, oat with straw harvested and two-year-grass. There were no differences on yield or quality of tubers between the studied crop rotations. The tuber yield did not differ between the tilling methods or the preciding crops. There was an interaction between all studied rotation and tilling methods. Three-year rotation resulted in approximately 5 % higher tuber yield and 14 % higher marketable yield following spring ploughing and light cultivation in comparison to autumn ploughing. However, four-year rotation resulted in an opposite result, since the tuber yield was 7 % and marketable yield 17 % higher following autumn ploughing in comparison to both spring ploughing and light cultivation. The most effecting factor on tuber quality was the two-year-grass as a preceding crop. Starch content was a little less than one percentage point higher following grass in comparison to all other preceding crops studied. Plant stand was also slightly sparser and tubers were slightly larger following grass in comparison to other preceding crops studied. This was due to grass lumps which caused problems in planting and resulted in uneven plant stand density. There were more green tubers following grass in comparison to other preceding crops studied. The starch content was a little less than one percentage point lower following spring ploughing in comparison to other tilling methods. Common scab was observed somewhat more following spring ploughing. The light cultivation resulted in the highest number of green tubers. Three- and four-year crop rotations seem to fit for potato cultivation, and oat and barley are suitable as preceding crops for potato. Yield is not affected when spring ploughing- and light cultivation is applied with cereals as preceding crops. The two-year-grass is also suitable preceding crop for potato. It increases the tuber starch content, even tough it can decrease the quality. Thus, autumn ploughing is the best option as a tilling method to be used for grass as a preceding crop in potato cultivation.