Effect of cultivar and storage time on the volatile flavor components of baked potato.

Tubers of five cultivars of potato were stored at 4 degrees C for 2, 3, and 8 months and baked in a conventional oven. The flavor compounds from the baked potato flesh were isolated by headspace adsorption onto Tenax and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. On a quantitative basis, compounds derived from lipid and Maillard reaction/sugar degradation dominated the flavor isolates, with sulfur compounds, methoxypyrazines, and terpenes making smaller contributions. Levels of 37 of the >150 detected compounds were monitored in each cultivar with time of storage. Many significant differences were found in levels of individual compounds, compound classes, and total monitored compounds for the individual effects of cultivar and storage time and for their two-way interaction. Differences may be explained by variations in levels of flavor precursors and activities of enzymes mediating flavor compound formation among cultivars and storage times. In addition, differences in agronomic conditions may partly account for variations among cultivars. Overall, of the compounds monitored, those most likely having the greatest flavor impact were 2-isopropyl-3-methyoxypyrazine, 2-isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine, dimethyl trisulfide, decanal, and 3-methylbutanal, with methylpropanal, 2-methylbutanal, methional, and nonanal also being probable important contributors to flavor.