Nutrient composition and toxic factor content of four wild species of mexican potato

The nutrient composition and toxic factor content of four wild species of Mexican potato were determined to compare the nutritional and toxic potentials with those of a cultivated variety. The nutrient composition did not show wide differences, but the true protein contents of wild species did. As expected, starch was the principal component, free sugars were found in very low levels, and the amylose/amylopectin ratio (20:80 average) did not indicate any special difference between the wild species and the cultivated one. Sulfur amino acids were deficient in all of the samples, and the cultivated species showed the highest chemical score. All of the samples showed low content of lectins and trypsin inhibitors, but two wild species showed >20 TUI/mg. Alkaloids were present in higher quantities in the wild species than in the cultivated one.