Blending neglected and underutilised wild yam tubers from forest to functional food

Abstract

The exploitation of neglected and underutilised wild yam species is an important livelihood strategy for tribal community along with providing food and nutritional security. In order to integrate them into developmental interventions, a region-specific assessment of their consumption, traditional processing, and optimal use by tribal groups is necessary. This study analysed the traditional use, consumption pattern and preferences of different wild yam species by tribal communities from 45 villages of Koraput (part of Eastern ghats of India). There are eight wild Dioscorea species have been used as food and medicine by the tribal people of this region. Among the wild species, D. pubera was the most preferred species with highest use vale (UV) of 1.76 followed by D. pentaphylla by the tribal communities. Further these two wild tubers were selected for making value-added products such as cookies and namkeen. From sensory evaluation, D. pubera cookies and namkeen showed better taste, crispiness, smell, colour and over all acceptability of a good score. In addition, these value-added products recorded higher protein, fiber, energy, antioxidants and nutritionally superior than conventional products. These functional foods from wild yam will helpful for mass consumption and will encourage the start-ups for enhancing economic growth of tribal people of the locality.