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Title: Pigmented potato consumption improves immune response in men: a randomized controlled trial

Author
item KASPAR, KERRIE - Washington State University
item PARK, JEAN SOON - Washington State University
item Brown, Charles
item MATHISON, BRIDGET - Washington State University
item Navarre, Duroy - Roy
item CHEW, BOON - Washington State University

Submitted to: American Journal of Advanced Food Science and Technology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/26/2013
Publication Date: 3/2/2013
Citation: Kaspar, K., Park, J., Brown, C.R., Mathison, B., Navarre, D.A., Chew, B. 2013. Pigmented potato consumption improves immune response in men: a randomized controlled trial. American Journal of Advanced Food Science and Technology. 1:15-25.

Interpretive Summary: Recently the subject of potatoes bred to have higher phytonutrients has been a topic of research. Potatoes with red and purple fleshes have high anti-oxidant capacity. Potatoes with high deeply yellow flesh have compounds that protect the eyes from various maladies. Potatoes have been analyzed extensively, but studes of the health consequences of eating potatoes are still relatively rare. In this study the affects of purple and yellow flesh potatoes were compared to white flesh potatoes. Interestingly certain parameters that indicate funcitioning of the immune system were heightened by consumption of yellow and purple lfesh potatoes. The level of inflammation as measured by C-reactive protein was dramatically lowered by purple potatoes. Other parameters that indicate that immune responses were modulated in a more healthful direction. Consumption of pigmented potatoes has multiple advantages for the those who eat them.

Technical Abstract: Pigmented potatoes contain high concentrations of antioxidants including phenolic acids, anthocyanins and carotenoids; these bioactives have been implicated in the inhibition or prevention of cellular oxidative damage and chronic disease susceptibility. We studied the effects of pigmented potato consumption on immune response in healthy adult men. Free living healthy male participants (18-40 yr; n=12/group) were given 150 g of cooked white- (WP), yellow- (YP) or purple-flesh potatoes (PP) once a day for 6 wk in a double-blinded study. Blood was collected at baseline and wk 6 to analyze C-reactive protein (CRP), inflammatory cytokines, lymphoproliferation, NK cytotoxicity and phenotypes. Participants fed YP and PP had lower (P < 0.08) plasma IL-6 compared to those fed WP. A concurrent decrease (P < 0.08) in CRP concentration was observed in the PP group. Total Tc cells were lower while B cells were higher in PP, compared to the WP group (P < 0.05). Conversely, YP increased Th cell populations. In addition, mitogenic stimulation of B (PWM) and T cells (PHA) was increased (P < 0.05) in YP compared to PP and tended to be higher than WP, whereas there was a decrease (P < 0.05) seen in PP compared to WP. Therefore, pigmented potato consumption reduced inflammation and modulated immune cell phenotype in healthy adult men.