The shelf life of peeled and cut potatoes is strongly limited by enzymatic browning that leads to a decrease in food
quality, since it implies spoilage. Enzyme-catalysed browning reactions involve the oxidation of phenolic compounds by
the enzyme polyphenoloxidase (PPO) that act as catalyst in
two different reactions: the hydroxylation of monophenols to
o-diphenols and the oxidation of o-diphenols to o-quinones.
These o-quinones are highly reactive compounds that react
non-enzymatically to give rise to brown, black or red pigments, called melanins, that are responsible for less attractive
appearance and loss in nutritional quality