Sensory and cultural acceptability tradeoffs with nutritional content of biofortified orange-fleshed sweetpotato varieties among households with children in Malawi.

Marijke Hummel,Daniel Van Vugt,Inge D Brouwer,Charles Spillane,Elise F Talsma,Arthur Chibwana Gama,Ati Van Der Honing,Andrea S Wiley

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0204754

Abstract

BackgroundBiofortified orange-fleshed sweetpotato (OFSP) varieties are being promoted to reduce vitamin A deficiencies due to their higher beta-carotene content. For OFSP varieties to have impact they need to be accepted and consumed at scale amongst populations suffering from vitamin A deficiencies.ObjectiveWe investigated the sensory and cultural acceptability of OFSP varieties amongst households with children aged between 2–5 years old in two areas in Central and Southern Malawi using an integrated model of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and the Health Belief Model (HBM).MethodsSensory acceptability was measured using a triangle, preference and acceptance test using three OFSP varieties and one control variety, among 270 adults and 60 children. Based on a food ethnographic study, a questionnaire on cultural acceptability was developed and administered to 302 caretakers. Data were analyzed by calculating Spearman’s correlations between constructs and multiple linear regression modeling.ResultsThe sensory evaluation indicates that all three OFSP varieties are accepted (scores >3 on 5-point scale), but there is a preference for the control variety over the three OFSP varieties. Almost all caretakers are intending to frequently prepare OFSP for their child in future (97%). Based on regression analysis, the constructs ‘subjective norms’ (β = 0.25, p = 0.00) reflecting social pressure, and ‘attitudes toward behavior’ (β = 0.14 p = 0.01), reflecting the feelings towards serving their child OFSP, were the best predictors for caretakers’ behavior to prepare OFSP for their child.ConclusionsOur study shows that both sensory and cultural attributes can influence acceptability of varieties and consumption amongst households with children. Considering these attributes can improve the impact of biofortified crops in future programming, by reducing Vitamin A deficiencies through the intake of these nutrient-rich crops.

Highlights

Sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam) is one of world’s most important crops for food and nutrition security, in Sub-Saharan Africa, parts of Asia, and the Pacific Islands [1, 2]
We investigated the sensory and cultural acceptability of orange-fleshed sweetpotato (OFSP) varieties amongst households with children aged between 2–5 years old in two areas in Central and Southern Malawi using an integrated model of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and the Health Belief Model (HBM)
The sensory evaluation indicates that all three OFSP varieties are accepted, but there is a preference for the control variety over the three OFSP varieties

Summary

Introduction

Sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam) is one of world’s most important crops for food and nutrition security, in Sub-Saharan Africa, parts of Asia, and the Pacific Islands [1, 2]. In recent years, breeding programs have developed improved biofortified orange-fleshed sweetpotato (OFSP) varieties that are a good source of beta-carotene, a precursor of vitamin A [4]. Recent data on vitamin A deficiency suggests that only 4% of preschool children living in rural areas in Malawi are vitamin A deficient [7], which is defined by the World Health Organization as a mild public health problem [8]. Possible explanations for this drop in deficiency rates could be the mandatory vitamin A fortification of oil and sugar in Malawi since 2015. For OFSP varieties to have impact they need to be accepted and consumed at scale amongst populations suffering from vitamin A deficiencies

Methods

Results

Conclusion