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Africa and Asia bear the greatest cases of vitamin A deficiency whereas Orange‐Fleshed Sweetpotato (OFSP) as a possible solution to vitamin A deficiency, brings income, food and nutritional security for smallholders involved in its production. Reports indicated low adoption of OFSP in West Africa due to poor value chains and wide adoption of White‐Fleshed Sweetpotato (WFSP). Here, we reviewed OFSP interventions and programmes undertaken in West Africa, identified constraints limiting OFSP production, and updated the required actions for OFSP value chains development in West Africa. We reported 10 significant interventions and 20 released OFSP varieties within 4 countries. The main bottlenecks to OFSP value chains development are the lack of improved cultivars exhibiting high and stable yield potential, predominance of WFSP, non‐exposition of whole population to OFSP varieties, limited number of improved OFSP varieties available, and inadequacy of improved OFSP varieties to smallholder preferences. The roles of donors, research institutions, local partners, and smallholder's contributions in increasing OFSP production and consumption are provided. This will fuel the development of strong OFSP value chains in West Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Partial substitution of wheat flour with orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) purée in bread can increase vitamin A intake among consumers. The study investigated the influence of wheat flour substitution with 20–50% of OFSP purée on proximate composition, color, β-carotene, water activity, and microbial keeping quality. The moisture content, crude protein, crude fat, total ash, crude fiber, and carbohydrate in bread ranged from 28.6–32.7%, 9.9–10.6%, 5.0–5.5%, 1.9–3.2%, 1.4–1.8%, and 79.1–80.9%, respectively. β-carotene, total ash, and crude fiber contents in bread, and Hunter color values a*, b*, chroma, and ∆E significantly increased with the addition of OFSP purée. Total viable counts (TVC), yeast, and molds in bread ranged from 2.82–3.64 log10 cfu/g and 1.48–2.16 log10 cfu/g, respectively, on the last day of storage. Water activity, TVC, and fungal counts were low in sweet potato composite bread as compared to white bread. Total β-carotene in OFSP bread ranged from 1.9–5.4 mg/100 g (on dry weight). One hundred grams of bread portion enriched with 40% and 50% OFSP purée provides more than 50% of vitamin A dietary requirements to children aged 4–8 years. Incorporation of up to 50% OFSP purée in wheat flour produces a relatively shelf-stable, nutritious, and health-promoting functional bread. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dietary intervention stands as a practical and cheap approach to solve Vitamin A deficiency (VAD), a major public health problem among children and pregnant women in Africa. Quality characteristics and consumer acceptability of cakes from blends of orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) flour and tiger nut (TN) fiber were investigated. OFSP and TN fiber were blended: A (100% OFSP), B (95% OFSP: 5%TN) and C (90% OFSP: 10%TN). Protein contents ranged from 4.93 to 5.92%, crude fiber from 3.78 to 4.10%, while energy contents ranged from 387.79 to 417.53 Kcal/100 g. Total dietary fiber ranged from 9.88 to 10.68%, insoluble dietary fiber ranged from 7.76 to 8.41%. Two-three servings of developed cakes showed potential to meet recommended daily vitamin A requirement for both children and adult. Cakes from 95%OFSP: 5% TN was most preferred. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effect of baking, frying, and extrusion on the chemical composition and in vitro bio‐accessibility of beta‐carotene in orange‐fleshed sweet potato (flour and paste). The vitamin B1, B2, B6, and B9 contents in the samples fell within the range of 32.85–35.22 µg/100 g, 84.35–151.85 µg/100 g, 46.75–54.35 µg/100 g, and 7.65–21.55 µg/100 g, respectively. The fried paste had the highest beta‐carotene content (1,093.64 µg/100 g) when compared to the fresh root (116.12 µg/100 g) and would contribute approximately 22.8%, 11.4%, and 10.72% of the Recommended Daily Allowance for Vitamin A (µg RAE/100 g) of children, pregnant women, and lactating mothers, respectively. Frying of OFSP in the paste/puree form showed the highest bio‐accessible beta‐carotene (342.48 µg/g) compared to the fresh root (57.72 µg/g) and other samples (263.22–330.83 µg/g). Extrusion gave the highest protein content while baking yielded better mineral retention levels. Processing methods, as well as the form in which OFSP was processed did have a significant effect on the nutrient composition of the final product. Frying is nonetheless encouraged for dietary plans targeted at alleviating Vitamin A deficiency. Practical applications: Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato (OFSP) has gained considerable popularity as an intervention crop for Vitamin A Deficiency (VAD) and hunger driven states. This work has shown the possibility of utilizing OFSP paste and flour using simple processing methods that can be employed by commercial food industries and even at household levels. OFSP flour or paste could be incorporated in pastries, bakery goods, extruded snacks, and local food recipes. Frying of OFSP paste was identified as the best processing method to yield the highest beta carotene content and higher bio‐accessibility. This would help in addressing the problem of malnutrition and Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) in affecting developing countries. Also, the knowledge from this work is important in planning diets targeted at addressing VAD and also informing nutritionists, consumers, and producers on the effect of processing on the nutrient composition of OFSP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A wide variety of the roots and tubers plays a major role in human diet, animal feed, and industrial raw materials. Sweet potatoes (SPs) play an immense role in human diet and considered as second staple food in developed and underdeveloped countries. Moreover, SP production and management need low inputs compared to the other staple crops. The color of SP flesh varied from white, yellow, purple, and orange. Scientific studies reported the diversity in SP flesh color and connection with nutritional and sensory acceptability. Among all, orange‐fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) has been attracting food technologists and nutritionists due to its high content of carotenoids and pleasant sensory characteristics with color. Researchers reported the encouraging health effects of OFSP intervention into the staple food currently practicing in countries such as Uganda, Mozambique, Kenya, and Nigeria. Scientific reviews on the OFSP nutritional composition and role in vitamin A management (VAM) are hardly available in the published literature. So, this review is conducted to address the detailed nutritional composition (proximate, mineral, carotenoids, vitamins, phenolic acids, and antioxidant properties), role in vitamin A deficiency (VAD) management, and different food products that can be made from OFSP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing urbanization in developing countries has resulted in busier lifestyles, accompanied by consumption of fast foods. The consequence is an increased prevalence in noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). Food-based approaches would be cheaper and more sustainable in reducing these NCDs compared to drugs, which may have side effects. Studies have suggested that consuming functional foods could potentially lower NCD risks. Sweetpotato is regarded as a functional food because it contains bioactive compounds. Recently, sweetpotato has gained attention in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), but research has focused on its use in alleviating micronutrient deficiencies such as vitamin A deficiency, particularly the orange-fleshed variety of sweetpotato. Some studies conducted in other parts of the world have investigated sweetpotato as a functional food. There is a need to characterize the sweetpotato varieties in SSA and determine how processing affects their bioactive components. This review highlights some of the studies conducted in various parts of the world on the functionality of sweetpotato, its bioactive compounds, and how these are influenced by processing. In addition, the potential health benefits imparted by sweetpotato are expounded. The knowledge gaps that remain in these studies are also addressed, focusing on how they can direct sweetpotato research in SSA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]