Functional properties of different Korean sweet potato varieties

Abstract

Eight different varieties of Korean sweet potatoes (SPs) were investigated to develop new healthy foods. The purple-fleshed SPs, ‘Shinjami’ and ‘Borami’, the orange-fleshed SPs, ‘Juwhangmi’ and ‘Shinwhangmi’, and the white/cream-fleshed dry-type SPs, ‘Shinyulmi’, ‘Shinchunmi’, ‘Yeonwhangmi’, and ‘Jeungmi’, were used. Alcohol insoluble solids (AIS), total dietary fiber (TDF), anthocyanin, carotenoid, and phenolic compounds contents for SP powders vary significantly (p<0.05) between different varieties. The TDF, anthocyanin, and the total phenolic compounds of SPs had the highest values in the purple-fleshed SPs (10.11–10.87%, 2.43–3.35 mg/g, and 454.13–638.79%, respectively) and the lowest values in the white/cream-fleshed dry-type SPs. The carotenoids of the orange-fleshed SPs were higher in ‘Juwhangmi’ than in ‘Shinwhangmi’. The color differences among the purple-fleshed SPs were 3–4 times larger than those of other SPs. The antioxidant activities of the purple-fleshed SPs were higher than those of other SPs.