PREVENTION OF POST STORAGE GREENING IN TABLE STOCK POTATO TUBERS BY APPLICATION OF SURFACTANTS AND ADJUVANTS

The addition of adjuvants to sprays of aqueous emulsions of Tween (polysorbate) surfactants reduced the concentration of the Tween required to prevent greening; thus they increased the practicality of using Tweens 60, 65 and 80 which are broadly accepted food additives. Conspicuous among adjuvants found were certain plant acids. These were lactic, glycolic, d-tartaric, L-ascorbic, glyoxylic, gluconic, α-ketoglutaric, D-isoascorbic and citric acids. The principal mode of action of the adjuvants was to decrease the permeability of the adhering surfactant film towards CO2 transfer. This action and its duration was a function of the Tween and its concentration, and the adjuvant and its concentration.