Title : Nutritional and functional characterisation of flours from nine varieties of sweet potato (Ipomea batatas) in Niger
Abstract:
In Niger, sweet potato (Ipomea batatas), which is cultivated mainly for its tubers highly nutritious, has received little research attention. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to enhance the utilization of sweet potato tubers. Flours made from nine (9) varieties of sweet potatoes were subjected to physico-chemical and microbiological characterization using the AOAC method (1999) and horizontal methods for microbe identification, respectively. The functional properties of the eight (8) types of flour (made from the Dan Maradi, Dan Tchad, Dan Izallah, Dan Cameroun, L1 dan cameroun, L2 dan Bénin, Fock, and Jirani goboroua varieties) were assessed through bread-making, pasta-making, and porridge testing. The outcomes of the methods used to turn sweet potato tubers into flour revealed yields of 17.9% and 21.72% for the Jan dankali and dan Maradi varieties respectively. The average amounts of water (5.02±0.07), ash (3.29±0.02), proteins (2.83±0.07), lipids (1.18±0.49), carbohydrates (92.70±2.69), energy (392.72±2.42), calcium (1.10±0.41), potassium (854.60±222.31), and sodium (169.82±311.32) varied depending on the type of flour that was produced, according to the results of the physico-chemical analysis. Furthermore, microbiological analysis showed total absence of Escherichia Coli in all samples. Also, FMAT, total coliforms, yeasts and molds identified meet microbiological standards. However, it has been found that a substitution of wheat flour which exceeds 30% affects the organoleptic quality (color, odor, taste and texture), reduces the elasticity, the rising of doughs, and the aeration of breads made from sweet potato flour. For pasta, it has been observed that the flour of varieties like dan Izallah, and Fock, even mixed with cereal flour (millet, sorghum, corn and rice) remains sweet after cooking and absorbs less water than other varieties.
