Research Article

Effect of drying and storage on the degradation of total carotenoids in orange-fleshed sweetpotato cultivars

  1. Aurélie Bechoff1,*,
  2. Andrew Westby1,
  3. Constance Owori2,†,
  4. Geoffrey Menya2,
  5. Claudie Dhuique-Mayer3,
  6. Dominique Dufour3,4,
  7. Keith Tomlins1

Article first published online: 23 DEC 2009

DOI: 10.1002/jsfa.3859

Issue

Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture

Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture

Volume 90, Issue 4, pages 622–629, 15 March 2010

Additional Information

How to Cite

Bechoff, A., Westby, A., Owori, C., Menya, G., Dhuique-Mayer, C., Dufour, D. and Tomlins, K. (2010), Effect of drying and storage on the degradation of total carotenoids in orange-fleshed sweetpotato cultivars. J. Sci. Food Agric., 90: 622–629. doi: 10.1002/jsfa.3859

Author Information

  1. 1

    Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Central Avenue, Chatham Maritime ME4 4TB, UK

  2. 2

    National Agricultural Research Laboratories (NARL), National Agricultural Research Organization, PO Box 7065, Kampala, Uganda

  3. 3

    Centre International de Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD) UMR Qualisud, Montpellier, France

  4. 4

    International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), Cali, Colombia

  1. †

    Deceased

*Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Central Avenue, Chatham Maritime ME4 4TB, UK.

  1. †

    Deceased

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 9 FEB 2010
  2. Article first published online: 23 DEC 2009
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 12 NOV 2009
  4. Manuscript Revised: 16 OCT 2009
  5. Manuscript Received: 4 JUN 2009

Funded by

  • HarvestPlus Challenge

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Keywords:

  • Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.;
  • carotenoid;
  • storage;
  • drying;
  • cultivar

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Orange-fleshed sweetpotato (OFSP) can be used to tackle vitamin A deficiency, a major public health problem in most developing countries. In East Africa, common ways of using sweetpotato include drying and subsequent storage. The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of drying and storage on the total carotenoid retention (as an estimate of provitamin A retention) from OFSP.

RESULTS: Losses of total carotenoid during drying were generally low (15% or less). Total carotenoid retention in OFSP was not dependent on the type of dryer (solar or sun). Sweetpotato cultivar (Ejumula, Kakamega, SPK004/1, SPK004/1/1, SPK004/6 or SPK004/6/6) had a significant effect on retention in drying (P < 0.05). High percentage losses of total carotenoids were, however, correlated with high moisture content and high carotenoid content in fresh sweetpotato roots. After 4 months' storage at room temperature in Uganda, losses of total carotenoid in dried sweetpotato chips were high (about 70%) and this was not dependent on the use of opaque or transparent packaging.

CONCLUSION: Losses of carotenoids during storage were considered to be more of a nutritional constraint to the utilisation of dried sweetpotato than losses occurring during drying. The relationship between characteristics of the cultivars and losses of carotenoids during drying should be taken into account in selection of cultivars for processing. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry

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