The effect of boiling on the concentrations of total and individual carotenoids was determined by spectrophotometry and HPLC, in a group of native Andean potato accessions with diverse intensities of yellow flesh colours. Changes in concentrations due to boiling varied significantly among accessions. Boiling significantly reduced the violaxanthin and antheraxanthin concentration of all the accessions. However, the lutein and zeaxanthin concentrations of boiled tubers were not affected or were higher than the concentrations in raw tubers. The intermediate yellow fleshed accession 701862 showed the highest lutein concentration (above 200 μg/100 g, FW) and the deep yellow fleshed accession 704218 showed the highest concentration of zeaxanthin (above 1000 μg/100 g, FW) in raw and boiled tubers. Boiled potatoes of deep yellow fleshed varieties are a significant source of zeaxanthin (above 500 μg per 100 g fresh weight basis). © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.