Changes in the total phenol content in the industrial potato peel wastes during the storage

As a zero value by-product from the economic point of view, potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) peel is a good source of phenols. As a manufacturing waste, potato peels are stored at the uncontrolled conditions and are exposed to the fermentative, oxidative, and microbial degradation. The aim of the present study was to determine the phenol degradation dynamics in the stored peels so the maximum storage time could be defined to achieve the efficient phenol extraction. Three different types of samples were prepared by abrasion peeling method and stored at room temperature, in open air, up to six days. Phenol extracts were obtained using ethanolbased solvent. Total phenol content was expressed as a gallic acid equivalent; antiradical activity was measured using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazylradical. Results revealed that total phenols during the storage are more stable in the larger peel samples that can be stored up to two days without significant changes in the total polyphenol content and antiradical activity. Finely shredded peel demonstrated significant decrease in the total phenol amount and in the antiradical activity already on the second day of the storage. This fact indicated that in the finely shredded peel samples phenols are easily accessible to the oxidative and fermentative processes. It is possible, that after peeling there were big amounts of chlorogenic acid in the samples. When total amount of polyphenols decreased, chlorogenic acid degraded and caffeic acid was released in sufficient amount to hold antiradical activity of the extract on the high level.