Potato

Potato belongs to the Solanaceae family, which also includes the tomato, eggplant, chilli pepper, and petunia. Potato can be classified according to its color and shapes and are round white, long whites, yellow flesh, round red, round purple, and russet. There are various subcategories like Russet Burbank, Yukon gold, and Red Pontiac. The potato is rich in carbohydrate and a number of micronutrients like vitamin C, vitamin B1, vitamin B3, iron, and minerals like potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium. Potatoes are also rich in dietary antioxidants, which play vital roles in preventing diseases. However, potatoes also contain toxic compounds—glycoalkaloids—which lead to gastrointestinal disorders. The phytochemical present in a potato tuber could be affected by various factors like genetics, agronomic factors, and environmental factors like climate, fertilizer, storage, and processing. The aim of this chapter is to provide overview of the nutritional composition, health benefits, and factors affecting the nutritional composition of potato.