EFFECT OF YAM VARIETY ON THE PASTING PROPERTIES AND SENSORY ATTRIBUTES OF TRADITIONAL DRY‐YAM AND ITS PRODUCTS

Abstract

ABSTRACT Six varieties of yam were processed into traditional dry‐yam slices. The pasting properties and sensory attributes of dry‐yam samples, flour and paste from the flour were investigated. Significant differences (P ≤ 0.05) were observed in the pasting properties of flour from different yam varieties. “Ijedo,” the commonly used variety, had the highest peak, trough and final viscosities. There was no significant difference in the viscosities of “Efuru” (206.04 rapid viscosity analyzer), “Ise‐Osi” (242.75 rapid viscosity unit [RVU]) and “Abuja” (241.25 RVU) varieties. Samples of dry yam made from “Efuru,”“Ise‐Osi” and “Abuja” yams were not significantly different (P > 0.05) from “Ijedo” in terms of instrumental color measurement, as their degree of brownness (100 − L*) were 21.53, 19.21, 20.87 and 22.42, respectively. There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in color, taste and moldability of the paste made from “Efuru,”“Ise‐Osi,”“Ijedo” and “Abuja” yams. There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) between the hardness of dry yams made from “Ise‐Osi,”“Ijedo” and “Abuja.” There were positive correlations between the yam paste moldability, peak, trough and final viscosities for the different yam varieties. “Ise‐Osi,”“Efuru” and “Abuja” varieties were found to be suitable for dry‐yam processing in terms of sensory property and pasting of dry‐yam slices and their products, which were not significantly different from those of “Ijedo” variety – the commonly used yam.PRACTICAL APPLICATIONSThe study revealed that dry‐yam processors and potential dry‐yam processors in Nigeria can use other white yam varieties, such as “Abuja,”“Ise‐Osi” and “Efuru,” apart from “Ijedo” variety – the commonly used yam variety. These yam varieties were also acceptable in terms of the sensory and pasting properties of dry‐yam slices and their products. Thus, the general knowledge that white yams are good for dry‐yam processing has been scientifically verified.