ARS | Publication request: “AmaRosa,” a red skinned, red fleshed fingerling with high phytonutrient value

Submitted to: American Journal of Potato Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: May 15, 2012
Publication Date: July 13, 2012
Citation: Brown, C.R., Valves, M., Yilma, S., James, S., Hane, D., Shock, C., Feibert, E., Charlton, B., Culp, D., Pavek, M., Knowles, R., Novy, R.G., Whitworth, J.L., Stark, J., Miller, J., Holm, D., Navarre, D.A. 2012. “AmaRosa,” a red skinned, red fleshed fingerling with high phytonutrient value.. American Journal of Potato Research. 89:249-254. DOI 10.1007/s12230-012-9248-1.

Interpretive Summary: During the transfer of potato from its birthplace to other parts of the world and after several centuries of variety development, it is apparent that most of the genetic variability of the center of origin has been left there. There is an attempt to recover this variability, in particular with regards with health benefiting components of potato. Increasing the content of anthocyanins is a strategy to raise antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properites of potato. The AmaRosa potato is a success story in this regards. It has one of the higher levels of anthocyanin content of potatoes now available to consumers. It is also uniquely suited to the new class of fresh markt potatoes called "Fingerlings." Fingerlings are potatoes that are oblong and similar in size to a finger. AmaRosa was found to be highly desired by panelmembers in taste tests on numerous occasions. It ranked closedly with the well-known yellow-flesh potato, Yukon Gold in steamed and exceeded the YG scores when fried into potato chips. It retains its dark read flesh color after all types of cooking, including frying. AmaRosa can diversity the business portfolia of potato seed- and ware-growers. It also provides a large step forward in supplying antioxidants in large amounts per eaten portion to the US consumer.

Technical Abstract: AmaRosa is a mid season specialty potato with red skin and red flesh. This selection is unique among commercially available potato varieties in that plants set a large number of smooth, small, fingerling-shaped tubers with red skin and red flesh. AmaRosa tubers have higher total anthocyanin and hydrophilic oxygen radical absorption capacity (H-ORAC) than the variety All Blue. Tubers are ideal for boiling, baking, and microwaving, and chips made from AmaRosa tubers retain their red color and have a rich red color and very good taste. AmaRosa could be a good candidate for the organic sector due to its resistances to common scab and to tuber infection by late blight. In Spanish rosa means pink.AmaRosa had significantly higher total anthocyanins and hydrophilic oxygen radical absorption capacity (H-ORAC) than All Blue while total carotenoids and lipophylic oxygen radical absorption capacity (L-ORAC) were equivalent. H-ORAC and L-ORAC are direct measurements of antioxidant capacity against hydrophilic and lipophilic chain-breaking hydroxyl radicals. Comparison of H-ORAC and total phenolics indicated thatAmaRosa was higher than All Red and Ranger Russet. In a comparison of 70 days and 120 days harvest the early harvest had a four-fold and three-fold greater expression of H-ORAC, and total phenolics, respectively, than the late harvest (Table 9). Clearly, AmaRosa is more nutrient-laden at an early harvest date and would be suitable as a baby potato.