Although the most important quality parameters of a product
include sensory attributes, nutritive values, chemical constituents,
mechanical properties, functional properties and defects, the consumer’s
preferences depend primarily on the overall appearance,
color and shape of the product. Potato (Solanum tuberosum) – the
fifth most important crop in the world with a total harvested area
of 18.9 million hectares (FAO, 2004) – can vary tremendously in
size, shape and regularity. The wide variation in size and shape,
and vulnerability to damage makes the potato crop a difficult
one to handle and grade. Regular-shaped potatoes are preferable
because the irregular ones cause a great deal of losses during peeling
and subsequent processing. A product with a good appearance,
size and uniform shape will always be preferable to most consumers
and will have a better sales appeal. Therefore, grading and sorting
processes will ensure that the products meet defined grade and
quality requirements for sellers and provide an expected level of