Preventable Childhood Blindness Research Articles

Clinical vitamin A deficiency among preschool aged children in southwest Ethiopia.

The clinical manifestations of vitamin A deficiency (VAD) involve night blindness, bitot's spots, corneal xerosis, and corneal scars. It is the most important cause of preventable childhood blindness among children and causes morbidity and mortality. Even though Ethiopia implemented high-potency vitamin A supplements, the occurrence of VAD remains significant. This study was to identify determinants of clinical VAD among preschool-aged children (PSC) in southwest Ethiopia. A community-based survey was conducted among 411 randomly selected PSCs. A pretested and structured questionnaire coupled with clinical observation for signs of vitamin A deficiency by a trained ophthalmologist was used to collect the data. An anthropometric measurement of height was taken and analyzed using WHO Anthro to calculate Z-scores for each index. The public health significance of VAD was declared after comparison with international references. A bi-variable and multi-variable logistic analysis was done. We reported the adjusted odds ratio (AOR), 95% confidence interval, and p-value. A total of 411 children were screened for clinical VAD, and the overall prevalence was 2.2% (95% CI: 1.5-2.5). Of which, night blindness affects 1.2%, bitot's spots affects 0.7%, and corneal xerosis affects 0.2%, indicating a major public health problem compared to the international reference. The odds of clinical VAD were 81% lower among children who received vitamin A supplementation (VAS; AOR = 0.19, 95% CI: 0.04-0.92). On the other hand, PSC of mothers who had attended ANC visits were 89% less likely to develop clinical VAD (AOR = 0.11, 95% CI: 0.02-0.53). In addition, the study revealed that the odds of developing clinical VAD are 82% lower among PSC aged 36 to 47 months (AOR = 0.18; 95% CI: 0.03-0.97). The prevalence of clinical VAD among PSC is a public health problem and is associated with ANC visits, VAS status, and the age of the child, which could be used to target interventions to further reduce existing VAD. Further studies using reliable dietary intake and biomarker data could further depict the burden of subclinical VAD.

Validation of WINROP algorithm as screening tool of retinopathy of prematurity among Egyptian preterm neonates.

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a leading cause of preventable childhood blindness worldwide. Proper screening for ROP can prevent loss of vision. WINROP (weight, insulin-like growth factor 1, neonatal, retinopathy of prematurity) is an online surveillance system based on gestational age, birth weight and weekly weight gain that can predict infants at risk of sight-threatening retinopathy of prematurity. To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of WINROP algorithm in detecting sight-threatening ROP in Egyptian preterm neonates. Birth weight (BW), gestational age (GA) and weekly weight measurement of 365 preterm infants were prospectively entered into WINROP algorithm. Based on these inputs, the algorithm would output and a screening was performed as is standard. Sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values were calculated by comparing WINROP outcomes with ROP screening outcomes. Of the infants included in the study the mean GA was ±31.24 and mean BW was ±1508.78. A high risk WINROP alarm was triggered in 62 infants of whom 16 infants develop type 1 or type 2 ROP. These infants had associated comorbidities including sepsis, Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), history of transfusion of packed red blood cells (RBCS) and history of platelet transfusion. A low risk WINROP alarm was triggered in 303 infants of whom 15 infants developed type 1 or type 2ROP. WINROP showed a sensitivity of 51.6%, a specificity of 86.2%, a positive predictive value (PPV) of 52.8% and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 95% for detection of type 1 or type 2 ROP. WINROP has low sensitivity and high specificity for detection of ROP. It may help in ROP prediction but can't be used alone. Modification of WINROP algorithm taking into account other risk factors may improve sensitivity and reduce number for ROP examination.

Childhood blindness from surge of advanced stage retinopathy of prematurity in premature infants during the COVID-19 pandemic: a case series

Background Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a proliferative disease of the ocular retinal vasculature in premature infants, being a leading cause of preventable childhood blindness. The COVID-19 pandemic serves as an additional barrier to access to care and referral, potentially leading to more cases of advanced stage ROP. Although surgery can be done, ROP at this stage is highly associated with poor functional outcome irrespective of surgery. This case series aims to report advanced stage (stage 5) ROP in premature infants during the COVID-19 pandemic. MethodsA retrospective case series of medical records of paediatric patients with ROP was performed at Cipto Mangunkusumo National Referral Hospital between March 1, 2020 and December 31, 2021. This case series included new patients that presented to our clinic from March 2020 to December 2021 with stage 5 ROP. ResultsA total of 19 eyes of 10 patients with stage 5 ROP were included in this study. Mean chronologic age at presentation to our referral centre was 7.0 4.0 months. Upon presentation, all had stage 5 ROP with negative blink reflex to light, and none of the eyes in this cohort underwent surgical intervention. Mean gestational age was 30.3 3.2 weeks and mean birth weight was 1,276.7 366.4 g. ConclusionThere was an observable surge of stage 5 ROP at our referral centre with irreversible blindness. This highlights the need for proper ROP screening in all hospitals in Indonesia to prevent delay in detection and care of advanced stage ROP.

Identifying novel candidate compounds for therapeutic strategies in retinopathy of prematurity via computational drug-gene association analysis.

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is the leading cause of preventable childhood blindness worldwide. Although interventions such as anti-VEGF and laser have high success rates in treating severe ROP, current treatment and preventative strategies still have their limitations. Thus, we aim to identify drugs and chemicals for ROP with comprehensive safety profiles and tolerability using a computational bioinformatics approach. We generated a list of genes associated with ROP to date by querying PubMed Gene which draws from animal models, human studies, and genomic studies in the NCBI database. Gene enrichment analysis was performed on the ROP gene list with the ToppGene program which draws from multiple drug-gene interaction databases to predict compounds with significant associations to the ROP gene list. Compounds with significant toxicities or without known clinical indications were filtered out from the final drug list. The NCBI query identified 47 ROP genes with pharmacologic annotations present in ToppGene. Enrichment analysis revealed multiple drugs and chemical compounds related to the ROP gene list. The top ten most significant compounds associated with ROP include ascorbic acid, simvastatin, acetylcysteine, niacin, castor oil, penicillamine, curcumin, losartan, capsaicin, and metformin. Antioxidants, NSAIDs, antihypertensives, and anti-diabetics are the most common top drug classes derived from this analysis, and many of these compounds have potential to be readily repurposed for ROP as new prevention and treatment strategies. This bioinformatics analysis creates an unbiased approach for drug discovery by identifying compounds associated to the known genes and pathways of ROP. While predictions from bioinformatic studies require preclinical/clinical studies to validate their results, this technique could certainly guide future investigations for pathologies like ROP.

Prevalence, risk factors and severity of retinopathy of prematurity in preterm infants in a tertiary care hospital in rural Karnataka

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a condition which is one of the major causes of preventable childhood blindness. ROP may develop in premature new-borns due to avascular or incompletely vascularized retina at birth which are prone to damage. The purpose of this study is to investigate the prevalence of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), as well as its risk factors and severity, among newborns who were admitted to and screened at a tertiary care facility that serves a rural community.A cross-sectional study was conducted for a period of 1 year. All infants born prematurely who were admitted to the hospital and had a birth weight of less than or equal to 1500 g and/or less than 32 weeks of gestation were included in the study. Additionally, babies born between 1501-2500 grams and/or 33-35 weeks who were at a higher risk were also included. Under aseptic conditions all preterms were screened with RetCam in NICU of a tertiary hospital situated in rural area in Karnataka.224 preterm babies were screened for ROP. No ROP was noted in 185 babies (82.59%), 9 babies had stage 1 (4.02%), 21 babies stage 2 (9.38%), 9 babies had stage 3 ROP (4.02). No infant developed stage 4 and stage 5 ROP. Prevalence of ROP is 17.41% in our study. Low birth weight (LBW), Very low birth weight (VLBW), Respiratory Distress Syndrome and sepsis are found to be clinically significant in this study.In this study, the prevalence of ROP is 17.41%. LBW, VLBW, Respiratory Distress Syndrome and sepsis are found to significant risk factors. Early screening and timely appropriate treatment of ROP can prevent from causing childhood blindness.

Serum Zinc Levels in Preterm Newborns and its Relation with Retinopathy of Prematurity

Background With the increased survival of preterm babies, retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) has become the leading cause of preventable childhood blindness. It is caused by oxidative damage to the immature retina and zinc may help in the prevention of ROP owing to its antioxidant properties. Objective To measure serum zinc levels in preterm neonates and study its association with the development of ROP. Methods A total of 360 preterm neonates of gestational age between 28 completed weeks to <37 weeks were included in this observational cross-sectional study. Serum zinc levels of the neonates aging <24 hours of life were measured at the time of admission in NICU by spectrophotometry. Taking the reference range of serum zinc levels between 70 to 150 mcg/dL babies were arbitrarily divided into 2 groups (<70 and >70 mcg/dL). ROP screening was done at appropriate postnatal age by indirect ophthalmoscopy. The results were analyzed by the SPSS software version. Results The mean serum zinc level was 114.99±54.47 mcg/dL. The overall prevalence of ROP was 26%; of which, 10% of neonates had severe ROP (≥stage 3). A significant association was found between gestational age and birth weight with ROP. Oxygen supplementation, respiratory distress syndrome, surfactant use, antibiotic use >7 days, and low serum zinc levels (<70 mcg/dL) were significant risk factors on univariate analysis and after multivariate analysis, gestational age, surfactant use, and low serum zinc levels (<70 mcg/dL) came out to be independent risk factors for ROP. Conclusion There was a statistically significant association of low serum zinc levels with the development of ROP and it was independent of other risk factors associated with ROP.

Distinct gene expression profiles underlie morphological and etiological differences in pediatric cataracts.

Pediatric cataract is a major cause of preventable childhood blindness worldwide. Although genetic mutations or infections have been described in patients, the mechanistic basis of human cataract development remains poorly understood. Therefore, gene expression of structural, developmental, profibrotic, and transcription factors in phenotypically and etiologically distinct forms of pediatric cataracts were evaluated. This cross-sectional study included 89 pediatric cataract subjects subtyped into 1) prenatal infectious (cytomegalovirus, rubella, and combined cytomegalovirus with rubella infection), 2) prenatal non-infectious, 3) posterior capsular anomalies, 4) postnatal, 5) traumatic, and 6) secondary, and compared to clear, non-cataractous material of eyes with the subluxated lenses. Expression of lens structure-related genes (Aqp-0, HspA4/Hsp70, CrygC), transcription factors (Tdrd7, FoxE3, Maf, Pitx 3) and profibrotic genes (Tgfβ, Bmp7, αSmA, vimentin) in surgically extracted cataract lens material were studied and correlated clinically. In cataract material, the lens-related gene expression profiles were uniquely associated with phenotype/etiology of different cataracts. Postnatal cataracts showed a significantly altered FoxE3 expression. Low levels of Tdrd7 expression correlated with posterior subcapsular opacity, whereas CrygC correlated significantly with anterior capsular ruptures. The expression of Aqp0 and Maf was elevated in infectious cataracts, particularly in CMV infections, compared to other cataract subtypes. Tgfβ showed significantly low expression in various cataract subtypes, whereas vimentin had elevated gene expression in infectious and prenatal cataracts. A significant association between lens gene expression patterns in phenotypically and etiologically distinct subtypes of pediatric cataracts suggests regulatory mechanisms in cataractogenesis. The data reveal that cataract formation and presentation is a consequence of altered expression of a complex network of genes.

Retinopathy of Prematurity among Preterm Newborn Admitted to the Neonatal Care Unit in a Tertiary Care Centre: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study

World Health Organization has identified retinopathy of prematurity as an important cause of preventable childhood blindness. The presentation of retinopathy of prematurity is varied and differs in the developed and developing worlds. The study aimed to find out the prevalence of retinopathy of prematurity among preterm newborn admitted to the Neonatal Care Unit in a tertiary care centre. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among preterm newborn admitted to the Neonatal Care Unit after receiving ethical approval from the Institutional Review Committee (Reference number: IEC/MGMEI/I/2021/66). The study was conducted from 15 December 2021 to 17 February 2022. Basic demographic data, risk factors, clinical characteristics, and prevalence of retinopathy of prematurity were noted. Convenience sampling was done. Point estimate and 95% Confidence Interval were calculated. Among 204 participants, retinopathy of prematurity was found in 118 (57.84%) (51.06-64.62, 95% Confidence Interval) in at least one eye. Early treatment retinopathy of prematurity type 2 in 82 (69.49%) was the commonest one severity-wise. Supplemental oxygen was given to 118 (100%) cases, and low birth weight was present in 109 (92.37%) cases. The prevalence of retinopathy of prematurity was found to be higher in other similar studies done in similar settings. The screening and treatment for the retinopathy of prematurity require a dedicated trained team of ophthalmologists, vitreo-retina specialists, paediatricians, and neonatologists with well-developed facilities for retinopathy of prematurity clinics. blood transfusion; low birth weight; oxygen; preterm births; retinopathy of prematurity.

Challenge Accepted: Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) During COVID-19.

The World Health Organization has identified retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) as one of the emerging causes of preventable childhood blindness in developing and middle-income countries. It is becoming a major public health problem in developing countries like India and China. ROP blindness in India is increasing due to the highest number of preterm births in the world, suboptimal neonatal care, lack of awareness, screening programs and treatmentnot in place, and increasing numbers of neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) and special newborn care units (SNCUs) opening all over the country without appropriate ophthalmic care. On top of it, heavier and late pretermbabies are developing severe ROP due to the variable quality of neonatal services and insufficient optimal eye care in the NICU and SNCU. The situation become more precarious during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and it became a challenge to motivate health workers and parents to keep the screening and treatment of ROP babies in place.

Outcomes of Paediatric Cataract Surgery in Southern Jordan

Background: Congenital cataract is the leading global cause of preventable childhood blindness, and the onset of infantile and congenital cataracts is rare. Managing congenital cataracts is still challenging due to associated complications. Objective: This study aimed to assess the outcomes of congenital cataract surgery with intraocular lens implantation in southern Jordan. Methods: A retrospective case series included 20 children with congenital cataracts who underwent lensectomy, aged between 1 to 5 years, recruited using a purposive sampling technique. The mean age was 2.9 years ± 1.4. Intraocular pressure was measured preoperatively at baseline and then every three months, followed up postoperatively until one year. Schiotz tonometer is used to measure intraocular pressure. Results: The distribution of IOP and change in IOP values at baseline and post-operative follow-ups showed statistically significantly higher IOP values at three months of follow-up (P=0.03) and the last follow-up visit at 12 months (P=0.001). The results showed a statistically significant increase from baseline in the IOP of the unilateral cataract eye compared to its normal fellow eye (P=0.028). The post-operative evaluation showed that 14 patients demonstrated twenty-seven post-operative complications. Four eyes (14.2%) with posterior synechiae, 2 (7.1%) with anterior synechiae, 3 (10.7%) with decentration of IOL, 8 (28.6%) with pigment on IOL, 3 (10.7%) with transient corneal oedema and 7 (25%) developed post-operative glaucoma. Conclusion: We concluded that post-operative follow-up of one year in pediatric patients treated with congenital cataract surgery showed a significant increase in intraocular pressure.

INCIDENCE AND RISK FACTORS OF RETINOPATHY OF PREMATURITY: A CLINICAL STUDY CONDUCTED AT TERITIARY CARE HOSPITAL

Retinopathy of prematurity is a disease of retinal vasculature seen in preterm babies. Though oxygen administration was considered as the major cause for ROP in the earlier days, it is now well known that ROP is a multifactorial disease. ROP is considered as one of the major causes for preventable childhood blindness wordwide. A hospital based study was conducted on 100 babies attending ROP screening in Regional Eye Hospital, Kurnool from November 2019 to October 2021. Detailed birth history and history of risk factors were noted and dilated fundus examination was done with indirect ophthalmoscopy with the aid of eye speculum and scleral depressor. Screening and follow-up schedule was done according to ETROP guidelines. 24 babies showed ROP in various stages among which 6 needed treatment and 18 showed regression of ROP on subsequent follow-up's. The collected data was analysed to know the signicance of association of various risk factors to ROP.

A Review on the Incidence and Related Risk Factors of Retinopathy of Prematurity Across Various Countries.

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is an ophthalmologiccondition that is one of the leading causes of preventable childhood blindness. Due to the premature nature of blood vessels in preterm infants, retinal vessels are prone to damage. The incidence of ROP ranges with great variation across countries, and this study aims to identify the incidence and its related risk factors. A compilation of studies investigating the incidence of ROP was acquired through the PubMed and Google Scholar databases with a full free text in English filter set. All members of the study were involved in designating studies based on continent and arranging them into a table format. Following this, reasons for the variation in the incidence of ROP were investigated by individually assessing each study. The variation of an increased incidence of ROP seen in low-income countries (LICs) was most likely due to the availability of resources. As a preterm birth can give rise to further complications such as the development of sepsis, it is important to manage preterm birth with the utmost caution. Evidence has suggested that the two key variables in reducing the morbidity and mortality of ROP are the implementation of a screening and treatment protocol with controlled use of oxygen and the availability of resources in hospitals to adequately identify and manage ROP as early as possible. Through a comprehensive overview of the incidence of ROP, it is vital to review screening and treatment protocols in each hospital for ROP, which would aid in preventing its occurrence and initiating early treatment.

Current concepts in management of amblyopia- A major review

Amblyopia is the leading cause of preventable blindness in children and young. The prevalence of amblyopia in childhood varies between 1-5%, although these values may differ. Most of the visual impairment in amblyopia is reversible if treated early at appropriate time. Various treatment modalities in children include: refractive correction, patching, atropine penalization, binocular therapy, liquid crystal display eyeglasses and transcranial magnetic stimulation. Motive of this article is to give an emphasis on newer management strategy and newer trends in amblyopia therapy. A thorough search of literature was done in PubMed, Scopus, Embase and reference list of articles until December 15, 2020 containing “amblyopia treatment or therapy” was retrieved.

To study the significance of various risk factors in development of retinopathy of prematurity at a tertiary care center in Eastern Uttar Pradesh

Retinopathy of prematurity is a multi factorial vaso-proliferative disease that is the most common cause of preventable childhood blindness worldwide.This study aims to determine the frequency, clinical course and risk factors of ROP in premature infants treated in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NNICU) of our hospital. In this retrospective observational study the case records of 243 infants who visited our ROP clinic between January 2020 and august 2021 were reviewed. The mean GA was 33.4 weeks and the mean birth weight was 1.3 kg. A total of 55 (22.82%) patients developed ROP. low birth weight (p value = <0.001), low gestational age (p value = <0.001), multiple pregnancy (p value 0.002), blood transfusion (p value = 0.033), sepsis (p value = 0.009, odds ratio = 2.29 at CI 95%), oxygen supplementation (p value = <0.001 odds ratio= 10.56 at CI 95%) and duration of oxygen (p value = <0.001, odds ratio =1.93 at CI 95%) were significant risk factor for development of ROP. 2 (3.63%) cases were zone I, 8 (14.54%) zone II, and 45 (81.81 %) in zone III. Out of which 8 had plus disease. Analysis of the risk factor for severity of disease was found to be statistically significant with multiple pregnancy (p value = 0.015).Our study shows less gestational age, low birth weight and supplemental oxygen along with sepsis as biggest risk factor for development of ROP in our set –up and multiple pregnancy for severity.

Prevalence of retinopathy of prematurity in a urban based tertiary hospital in central India

Background: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is an important cause of preventable blindness in children. It is a serious and underestimated complication of prematurity treatment among preterm and low-birth weight babies and is preventable cause of blindness unless recognized and treated early. Objective: The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of ROP in preterm infants and low-birth weight in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of a tertiary hospital and to increase the awareness of early screening of ROP among parents and doctors.  Materials and Methods: A ROP prospective screening survey was performed enrolling all prematures and low-birth-weight Neonates delivered at Index Medical College Hospital & Research Centre  from July 2018 to June 2021, with a gestational age of 37 weeks or less at birth and a birth weight of 1700 g or less. One Hundred and Eighty Six(186) preterm infants (i.e.372 eyes) were included  for ROP screening .Out of these  186 preterm infants (372eyes), Forty eight (48)preterm infants  (i.e.96 eyes) developed Retinopathy of Prematurity. Descriptive statistics included the mean and standard deviation for numerical variables, and the percentage of different categories for categorical variables. 

A CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY ON THE PREVALENCE OF VITAMIN A DEFICIENCY

Background: Vitamin A is an essential nutrient needed for normal vision, immune functions, maintenance of epithelial cell integrity, growth and development, reproductive function. It is the most important cause of preventable childhood blindness in developing countries. To estimate the prevalence of vitamin A deficiency in children ≤1 Aim: 5 years reporting to a tertiary care centre A cross sectional study was conducted on 100 children aged Materials & Methods: upto 15years reporting to eye OPD from April 2022- June 2022. Detailed history from mother was collected. A comprehensive ophthalmic examination including visual acuity measurement, anterior segment, fundus evaluation was done. Vitamin A deficiency was clinically assessed by using WHO classification of Xerophthalmia. The Results: prevalence of clinical vitamin A deficiency in this study was 9%. Maximum presentation was seen in age group of >2-5 years. Prevention, early recognition by regular screening and nutritional education would decrease t Conclusion: he risk of developing clinical vitamin A deficiency.

Evaluating the efficacy of targeted written patient education materials in the improvement of understanding and outpatient follow-up compliance for retinopathy of prematurity

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a leading cause of preventable childhood blindness worldwide. Poor outpatient follow-up compliance in infants with ROP increases the risk of vision loss. Educating parents about ROP has the potential to significantly improve follow-up compliance. However, information currently available about ROP is written at an 11th grade level, despite NIH and AMA recommendations that patient education materials (PEM) be written at a 3rd-7th grade level. Our study investigates the effects of implementing newly developed PEM adherent to reading level recommendations on improving parent understanding of ROP and follow-up compliance.

Risk factors associated with retinopathy of prematurity

Background: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is an important cause of preventable blindness in children. It is a serious and underestimated complication of prematurity treatment among preterm and low-birth weight babies and is preventable cause of blindness unless recognized and treated early. Objective: Evaluate the different neonatal risk factors for Retinopathy of Prematurity. Materials and Methods: A ROP prospective screening survey was performed enrolling all premature and low-birth-weight Neonates delivered at Index Medical College Hospital & Research Centre from July 2018 to June 2021, with a gestational age of 37 weeks or less at birth and a birth weight of 1700 g or less. One Hundred and Eighty Six (186) preterm infants (i.e.372 eyes) were included for ROP screening. Out of these 186 preterm infants (372eyes), Forty eight (48) preterm infants (i.e.96 eyes) developed Retinopathy of Prematurity. Descriptive statistics included the mean and standard deviation for numerical variables, and the percentage of different categories for categorical variables. Result: In our study, various risk factors are analysed for the disease Retinopathy of Prematurity. This statistical analysis is done by Chi-square test (P-value). 

Profile of Unilateral Cataract in Children With Congenital Rubella Syndrome

A congenital cataract is preventable blindness in children and is associated with intrauterine rubella infection known as congenital rubella syndrome (CRS), mostly found in developing countries. This study aims to describe the profile of unilateral cataracts in children with CRS, which are more difficult to manage than bilateral ones. As a retrospective study, we reviewed complete medical records of children with CRS and unilateral cataracts at Cipto Mangunkusumo hospital from 2017 to 2020. Fifteen patients were included, mostly male and from outside Jakarta.The mean age of onset was 2.9 months, while the average age at first presentation and surgery was 27.7 months and 29.1 months, respectively.No correlation was found between patients’ residential distance from the hospital towards duration between onset of symptoms and first presentation to the hospital. 100% and 66.7% of patients had leukocoria and microcornea as ocular manifestations. The majority of systemic manifestations are congenital heart disease.66.7% of children underwent cataract surgery without IOL implantation. Improvement of visual acuity postoperatively was observed in 13.3% of patients, and 66.7% of patients used contact lenses for visual rehabilitation. 60% of patients had posterior capsule opacity within six months of follow-up. The challenge of wearing contact lenses in children makes the risk of amblyopia even greater

Nutritional value and consumer perception of biofortified sweet potato varieties

The deficiency of vitamin A is associated with preventable childhood infections and blindness. Optimal nutrition from a dietary variety and a selection of nutrient-rich foods are needed to enrich the diet. Orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) is a source of provitamin A due to its bioavailability of carotenes in roots that can be influenced by variety, environmental and crop management conditions. The aim was to characterize six of sweet potato genotypes [yellow-fleshed sweet potato (YFSP) and OFSP] using high-throughput phenotyping approaches to determine the influence of multi-environmental evaluation on quality attributes. The sensory evaluation was included to recognize the consumer perception of biofortified varieties. Total carotenoids content (TCC) and all-trans-β-carotene (atβC) were determined via HPLC, and colorimetric measurements were used to evaluate the root flesh color. Sensory evaluation was done for two OFSP and the cream-fleshed (CFSP) traditional landrace. Results revealed that the nutritional richness of OFSP was exhibited in its high TCC and atβC. High temperature and low accumulated rainfall negatively affected the accumulation of dry matter (DM), ash, and crude fiber while enhancing soluble solids, TCC, and atβC content. The food composition table of Ambarina and Aurora varieties showed the enriched quality compared to that of CFSP traditional landrace. Colorimetric methods were successfully used to differentiate flesh colors that could be significantly related to nutritional quality, especially a* and b* values from colorimeter and red (R), green (G), and blue (B) pixel values. High acceptance of OFSP varieties in sensory attributes suggested the potential of these biofortified varieties as nutrient-rich foods and prevented vitamin A malnutrition.