Description:
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>The effects of variety, harvest date and plant population on breakdown are considered in the light of two current theories relating chemical composition to the texture of cooked potato tubers. Differences between cell surface area could not account for the differences in breakdown found. The results also show the inadequacy of the theory ascribing a primary role in texture control to the “swelling pressure” generated by starch on gelatinisation. It seems likely that breakdown of cooked potato tubers is due to excessive hydration of cell wall material. On this theory high levels of polyuronides and phytate and low levels of polyvalent metals in the cell wall material favour breakdown. Correlation analysis indicates that other chemical factors which have yet to be identified may also play a role in the control of cooked potato texture.</jats:p>