Technological potential and characterization of underutilized South American yam flour with food applications

S.V. Medina Lopez, J.P. Fernandez-Trujillo, M.S. Hernández Gomez
Food system sustainability relates to food availability, a condition hindered by recent health crisis, with international logistical difficulties and domestic transport rising costs increasing food insecurity risks. Agrobiodiverse landscapes rich in native foods are proposed as strategies to promote crops resilience, where value addition is required to strengthen the in situ conservation of neglected or underutilized species (NUS), usually preserved by vulnerable communities. NUS have also gained attention due to the presence of bioactive substances such as anthocyanins, useful for sensory and bio-functional purposes in food design. This study presents the extraction parameters and characterization of a powdered South American NUS of yam (purple yampee), whose anthocyanins contents were evaluated in formulations with different hydrocolloids and pH levels modulated to preserve the pigments. The purple flour obtained from the tuber had a higher extraction yield than the one reported for other yam and tuber species; and exhibited interesting technological properties in terms of emulsion activity, oil and water absorption capacity, with a presumably long shelf life associated to its low moisture and aw, among others. Baked snacks showed a higher anthocyanin retention when lower pectin and moderate percentages of acid were added, most probably improving the nutritional content of the snacks in comparison to standard commercial formulations made of unpigmented flours. These results highlight the potential on the value addition chain of NUS D. trifida, as a highly suitable new species for food industry.
Medina Lopez, S.V., Fernandez-Trujillo, J.P. and Hernández Gomez, M.S. (2023). Technological potential and characterization of underutilized South American yam flour with food applications. Acta Hortic. 1380, 119-128
DOI: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2023.1380.15
https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2023.1380.15
tuber flour, antioxidants, value addition, purple yampee, orphan crops
English

Acta Horticulturae