Effect of cutting styles on quality, antioxidant activity, membrane lipid peroxidation, and browning in fresh-cut potatoes

Fresh-cut potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.) are appreciated by consumers for their convenience and freshness. In the process of home cooking and food industry, different cutting styles of potato are needed. In order to explore the effect of cutting styles on quality, antioxidant activity, membrane lipid peroxidation, and browning in fresh-cut potatoes, potatoes were cut into pieces, strips, slices and the whole potatoes were used as control. The results indicated that vitamin C content of pieces, strips, and slices potatoes was gradually reduced, while glutathione content increased significantly (P < 0.05) compared with whole potatoes. Simultaneously, cutting induced phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activity and further enhanced phenol content by 40.48%, 74.88%, and 108.86% in pieces, strips and slices, respectively. And this combined with the enhancement of superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, and glutathione reductase activity, which contributed to the total antioxidant capacity increasing by 1.37–1.46 times compared with control. Furthermore, the increase of lipoxygenase, polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase activity induced by cutting resulted in malondialdehyde content accumulation and browning phenomenon. In conclusion, the degree of membrane lipid peroxidation and browning was slice > strip > piece. Therefore, this study provides useful information to illuminate the mechanism of quality change and browning in fresh-cut potatoes subjected to different cutting styles and makes suggestions on the appropriate cutting style for commercial or home use of potatoes.