Philippine E-Journals

Utilization of Orange-fleshed Sweetpotatoes to Enhance the ß-Carotene Content of Locally Consumed Food Products

Hilda L. Quindara | Ines C. Gonzales | Esther T. Botangen | Belinda A. Tad-awan

 

Abstract:

A food-based approach can be a more sustainable and cost-effective means of addressing vitamin A deficiency. Incorporating orange-fleshed sweetpotatoes (OFSP) in commonly consumed food products could be one strategy to enhance intake for ß-carotene. This study determined the ß-carotene composition, sensory qualities, and acceptability of developed OFSP enriched food products compared to the locally consumed food products. The Inmitlog variety which can provide a high yield and contains 4,463ug/100g of ß-carotene, was used to enrich pandesal, hopia, and candies. This commonly consumed pandesal, hopia, tamarind, and coconut-candied products have nil to trace amounts of ß-carotene. OFSP-enriched pandesal, hopia, and candies, on the other hand, contain considerable amounts of ß-carotene, which can be an additional source of the recommended daily vitamin A intake for consumers. Sensory evaluation showed that wheat flour substitution with OFSP in pandesal had improved the textural moistness relative to the local pandesal. The sensory shelflife of pandesal and hopia is four days. The OFSP- tamarind candy has a shelflife of seven months, while the OFSP–coconut candy has a shelflife of four months. This study had shown that incorporating OFSP in commonly consumed food items can be a possible intervention to increase the ß-carotene intake of consumers.