ORANGE FLESHED SWEET POTATO

            ORANGE FLESHED SWEET POTATO- A good source of β Carotenoid

1.    It has been observed that many rural dwellers particularly children, suffer from vitamin A deficiency which can be gotten from β carotene. Vitamin A deficiency is considered a major public health problem that requires proper nutrition interventions. It causes morbidity, poor cognitive development, nutritional blindness, reduced immunity and especially death in Children and poor productivity in adults. For this purpose, orange fleshed sweet potatoes varieties has gained attention to mitigating common health related problems associated with vitamin A deficiency among rural dwellers. Orange Fleshed Potato is believed to be the least expensive source of dietary vitamin A available to everyone especially the rural dwellers.

                                                 Pinterest: Before and After of beta carotene

 

2.    The orange fleshed sweet potato is a unique staple crop in southern and eastern part of Africa continent. Different varieties common to Africans are white, yellow or cream-fleshed sweet potatoes, but they contain little or no carotene. The orange fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) roots are special type of bio-fortified that are very rich in β carotene. Β carotene is an antioxidant that converts to vitamin A and plays a very important role in health. It is responsible for the coloration of some fruits and veggies and also play an important role in reaching optimal wellness. Bio-fortification enhances the nutritional value of orange fleshed sweet potato by increasing the density of vitamins and minerals in a crop through either conventional plant breeding, agronomic practices or biotechnology. The cultivation of OFSP is very easy and subtle as it is drought resistance giving it the opportunity to be cultivated and propagated by vegetative method, and can be stored over a broad range of time in the soil without considerable loss.

3.    Orange fleshed sweet potato is very important when it comes to food and medicine and a nutrient secured root crop. Nigeria is the second largest producer of orange fleshed potato after Uganda with an annual production of 3.9 million metric tons per year. Though it has a short production cycle (3-4 months), they can be grown all year round with its roots and vines consumable for both human and animal. However, this product has a short life span i.e. it is highly perishable but very abundant at harvest and because of its perishable behavior, it is been preserved or processed into another product e.g. flour to make it more available, increase its value and lifespan.

                                                Google: Orange Fleshed Sweet Potatoe

4.    OFSP can be therefore preserved through the process of moisture removal using different methods of drying and pre-treatment. This process helps to minimize the moisture content that gives room for deterioration and then convert the roots into a product that is more stable and easier to move. This process of value addition or preservation can also mar it by affecting the physio-chemical properties and carotene content present especially during parboiling and blanching but efforts are being made to evaluate pre-treatment methods suitable to reduce the nutrient loss associated with processing (washing-peeling-size reduction-boiling or blanching or metabisulphite treatment). For now, Blanching is said to help reduce loss of carotenoids i.e. to reduce the loss of carotenoids, it is encouraged to apply blanching before drying.

                      Google: Processing flow chart of orange fleshed sweet potato storage

 

 

 References

Ogunka, N.P., Ezeama, C.F (2020). Effect of Pre-treatment on the Physio-chemical Properties and total carotenoid content of orange fleshed potatoes

 Bovelle-Benjamin, A.C. (2007). Sweet potato: a review of its past, present, and future role in human nutrition, Advanced Food Nutrition resources, 52: 1-59'""''