Evaluation of Selected Locally Grown Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas) Varietal Suitability on Fried Chips Quality

ABSTRACT

The present study was designed to evaluate the effect of varieties on the moisture content, oil content, fracture force, and color lightness of fried chips made from the three orange-fleshed sweet potato varieties: Kulfo, LO-323; Ukr x Eju-13, Dilla; and Kabode. Starch, reducing sugar, moisture, protein, fiber, ash, and carbohydrate contents of fresh sweet potatoes showed a significant difference (P < .05). The Kabode sweet potato variety had the highest specific gravity, starch content, ash, fiber, protein, and carbohydrate content, as well as the lowest fat and reducing sugar, whereas the Kulfo (LO-323) variety exhibited the highest moisture content and reducing sugar. When processed as fried chips, Kabode and Ukr x Eju-13 (Dilla) varieties demonstrated proper color lightness, fracture force, and absorbed less oil. When fried, Kulfo (LO-323) chips had the highest moisture content, oil uptake, and fracture force, as well as the lightest color.

KEYWORDS:

• Sweet potato chips
• varieties
• texture
• oil uptake
• color

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge Wollo University, Ethiopia, for the funding of this research. The authors would also like to thank the Department of Chemical Engineering and Food process Engineering, Addis Ababa Science and Technology University for allowing us to use their support laboratory facilities.

Disclosure statement

The authors report there are no competing interests to declare.