Quality characterization, phenolic and carotenoid content of new orange, cream and yellow-fleshed sweetpotato genotypes

Abstract

Sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas) is a root crop grown in many countries. This tuberous root is a source of energy, nutrients, and phytochemicals. In this study, bioactive compounds and physical and physicochemical qualities of sweetpotato genotypes were evaluated. Eight new genotypes of sweetpotato produced by Embrapa Hortaliças (orange-fleshed: MD09026-OF and MD09024-OF; cream-fleshed: MD09011-CF, MD09004-CF, MD10039-CF, and MD10004-CF; yellow-fleshed: MD09017-YF and MD12002-YF) and two cultivars used as controls (Beauregard and Brazlândia Roxa) were evaluated for color, soluble solids, dry matter, phenolic compounds, total carotenoids and β-carotene. Hue angles differed even between those sweetpotatoes with the same flesh color. The orange-fleshed genotypes MD09024-OF, MD09026-OF, and Beauregard, had the lowest L*, showing to be darker than the others. These sweetpotatoes also had the brightest flesh colors with higher C*. The orange-fleshed genotypes MD09026-OF and MD09024-OF were sweeter (10.55oBrix and 9.23oBrix) than Beauregard (5.12oBrix). Brazlândia Roxa had the highest dry matter content (38.05%), followed by the genotypes MD10004-CF, MD09017-YF, MD09026-OF MD10039-CF, and MD09011-CF, which showed similarity, ranging from 32.33% to 29.12%. The highest contents of total carotenoids were found for the orange-fleshed genotypes MD09026-OF (80.06 mg g-1) and MD09024-OF (70.56 mg g-1) and Beauregard (73.12 mg g-1). These same genotypes showed the highest total phenolic compounds (0.815 mg g-1 and 0.686 mg g-1, respectively). MD09026-OF showed the highest content of β-carotene (46.47 mg g-1). MD09026-OF was the most prominent genotype among those evaluated, as it showed the highest total carotenoid, β-carotene, phenolic compounds, and soluble solids content, in addition to a high dry matter content.