Potato glycoalkaloids: Some unanswered questions

Abstract Despite its status as a food of global importance, the potato tuber contains toxic glycoalkaloids (GA) that cause sporadic outbreaks of poisoning in humans. Probably because GA are natural compounds present in a staple food that has been used for millenia, their effects on humans have not been investigated as thoroughly as they would have been had they been synthetic additives-the use of which is stringently regulated. As a result, a number of lingering uncertainties remain concerning both the presence of GA in potato tubers and potato products and their effects on humans.

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