Evaluation of the chemical, physical and nutritional composition and sensory acceptability of different sweet potato cultivars

• Published in: Semina. Ciências agrárias : revista cultural e científica da Universidade Estadual de Londrina Vol. 40; no. 3; pp. 1127 - 1138
• Main Authors: Oliveira, Ana Flávia de, Soares, Jaqueline Machado, Silva, Érica Caroline da, Loubet Filho, Paulo Sergio, Candido, Camila Jordão, Amaral, Luane Aparecida do, Santos, Elisvânia Freitas dos, Resende, Juliano Tadeu Vilela de, Schwarz, Kélin, Novello, Daiana
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade Estadual de Londrina 01.05.2019
• Subjects: Genotypes; Ipomoea batatas; Tuberous root
• ISSN: 1676-546X; 1679-0359
• DOI: 10.5433/1679-0359.2019v40n3p1127

The aim of the study was to evaluate the chemical, physical and nutritional composition and sensory acceptability of different sweet potato cultivars to classify the best genotypes for human consumption. We evaluated ten genotypes extracted from the Germplasm bank of Midwest State University, Brazil. The cultivars were evaluated regarding their sensory acceptability and chemical (reducing sugar; nonreducing sugar; total sugar; pH; total soluble solids; titratable acidity; total soluble solids/titratable acidity ratio; and instrumental colour) and nutritional composition (moisture; ash; protein; lipid; carbohydrate; energy value; total carotenoid; and ascorbic acid). Greater scores (p < 0.05) for overall acceptance were obtained for the white pulp genotypes Amorano, Júlia, UGA 45, and UGA 49. There was a statistical difference (p < 0.05) in the chemical and nutritional composition of sweet potatoes, except for the pH values. Generally, tuber have a light colour (values of L* greater than 50) with a yellow shade (b*) and green subshade (negative a* values). The exception was noticed in the UGA 34 genotype, which presented a higher red shade (positive a* value) and a yellow subshade. The cultivars more indicated for human consumption were the UGA 34 (favorable nutritional profile), UGA 45 (better acceptability and favorable chemical and nutritional composition), and Amorano (better acceptability and favorable chemical composition). On the other hand, the UGA 29 genotype may be characterized as the less appropriated for consumption. That, due to its less acceptance from the consumers and an inferior chemical and nutritional characterization. We conclude that the Brazilian sweet potato cultivars more indicated for human consumption are the UGA 34, UGA 45 and Amorano, considering that present more favorable chemical, nutritional and sensory acceptability characteristics. The UGA 29 genotype may be characterized as less recommended for consumption.