Despite being small, the European sweet potato market increased by 100% over the past five years. The thought of growing sweet potatoes in temperate climates was never given much importance, but it could be a new opportunity for the EU market.
The research group coordinated by professor Paolo Sambo from the University of Padua, who has been monitoring sweet potato production in the Veneto region for years, just published a study in which it assesses the nutritional and quality characteristics of 4 cultivars and 4 cooking methods.
Photo by Paolo Sambo
The 4 cultivars (2 white flesh traditional of northern Italy, 1 simil-Beauregard and 1 simil-Murasaki) were cultivated in the University Of Padua's experimental centre. The cooking methods analysed were: boiling microwaving, frying and steaming.
The traditional cultivars showed high levels of hardness and adhesiveness. Higher sugar concentration (maltose in particular) and phenolic acids (caffeic and chlorogenic) were found in boiled and steamed samples. Fried sweet potatoes had high antioxidant properties, while no significant differences emerged in micorwaved ones.
"Traditional and new sweet potato cultivars can be grown in temperate climate conditions as well, because they have interesting nutritional properties mainly thanks to the presence of antioxidant compounds. As regards new coloured varieties, they have a best qualitative profile than traditional Italian ones and could be suitable for the European market, thus providing new opportunities for both consumers and producers."
Source: Carlo Nicoletto, Fabio Vianello, Paolo Sambo, 'Effect of different home-cooking methods on textural and nutritional properties of sweet potato genotypes grown in temperate climate conditions', 26 June 2017, Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture.
Contacts:
Prof. Paolo Sambo
Dip. Agronomia Animali Alimenti Risorse Naturali e Ambiente (DAFNAE)
AGRIPOLIS
Via dell'Università, 16
35020 Legnaro (PD)
Email: paolo.sambo@unipd.it