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Se evaluó el efecto del estado de maduración (verde y maduro) y el procesamiento (fresco y cocido) sobre las propiedades fisicoquímica y digestibilidad in vitro, de cuatro variedades de bananos de cocción cultivadas en Colombia. Se presentó cambios significativos (P<0.0001) en el contenido de almidón total, almidón resistente, almidón rápida y lentamente digestible, con la maduración y el procesamiento. La interacción (cultivar, estado de maduración y procesamiento), presentó un efecto altamente significativo (P<0.0001) sobre las propiedades funcionales y las propiedades de empastamiento de las harinas. Por lo tanto, el conocimiento de las características fisicoquímicas y nutricionales de los bananos de cocción permite una mejor selección en función de la aplicación industrial.

Roots, tubers and bananas (RTBs) contribute immensely to food security and livelihoods in sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and Latin America. The adoption of RTB genotypes in these regions relies on the interplay among agronomic traits, ease of processing and consumer preference. In breeding RTBs, until recently little attention was accorded key textural traits preferred by consumers. Moreover, a lack of standard, discriminant, repeatable protocols that can be used to measure the textural traits deter linkages between breeding better RTB genotypes and end user/consumer preferences. RTB products texture – that is, behaviour of RTB food products under unique deformations, such as disintegration and the flow of a food under force – is a critical component of these preferences. The preferences consumers have for certain product texture can be evaluated from expert sensory panel and consumer surveys, which are useful tools in setting thresholds for textural traits, and inform breeders on what to improve in the quality of RTBs. Textural characterization of RTBs under standard operating procedures (SOPs) is important in ensuring the standardization of texture measurement conditions, predictability of textural quality of RTBs, and ultimately definition of RTB food product profiles. This paper reviews current SOPs for the textural characterization of RTBs, including their various associated methods, parameters, challenges and merits. Case studies of texture characterized during development of SOPs and evaluation of texture of RTB populations are discussed, together with insights into key textural attributes and correlations between instrumental, sensory and consumer assessment of texture unique to various RTB food products. Hardness was considered a universal key textural attribute to discriminate RTBs. The review should provide adequate insight into texture of RTB food products and critical factors in their measurement. It aims to promote inclusion of texture in breeding pipelines

BACKGROUND: Consumer preferences for boiled or fried pieces of roots, tubers and bananas (RTBs) are mainly related to their texture. Different raw and cooked RTBs were physiochemically characterized to determine the effect of biochemical components on their cooking properties. RESULTS: Firmness in boiled sweetpotato increases with sugar and amylose contents but no significant correlation was observed between other physicochemical characteristics and cooking behaviour. Hardness of boiled yam can be predicted by dry matter (DM) and galacturonic acid (GalA) levels. For cassava, no significant correlation was found between textural properties of boiled roots and DM, but amylose and Ca2+ content were correlated with firmness, negatively and positively, respectively. Water absorption of cassava root pieces boiled in calcium chloride solutions was much lower, providing indirect evidence that pectins are involved in determining cooking quality. A highly positive correlation between textural attributes and DM was observed for fried plantain, but no significant correlation was found with GalA, although frying slightly reduced GalA. CONCLUSION: The effect of main components on texture after cooking differs for the various RTBs. The effect of global DM and major components (i.e. starch, amylose) is prominent for yam, plantain and sweetpotato. Pectins also play an important role on the texture of boiled yam and play a prominent role for cassava through interaction with Ca2+.

The 5-year project 'Breeding roots, tubers and banana products for end user preferences' (RTBfoods) focused on collecting consumers' preferences on 12 food products to guide breeding programmes. It involved multidisciplinary teams from Africa, Latin America, and Europe. Diverse data types were generated on preferred qualities of users (farmers, family and entrepreneurial processors, traders or retailers, and consumers). Country-based target product profiles were produced with a comprehensive market analysis, disaggregating gender's role and preferences, providing prioritised lists of traits for the development of new plant varieties. We describe the approach taken to create, in the roots, tubers, and banana breeding databases, a centralised and meaningful open access to sensory information on food products and genotypes. Biochemical, instrumental textural, and sensory analysis data are then directly connected to the specific plant record while user survey data, bearing personal information, were analysed, anonymised, and uploaded in a repository. Names and descriptions of food quality traits were added into the Crop Ontology for labelling data in the databases, along with the various methods of measurement used by the project. The development and application of standard operating procedures, data templates, and adapted trait ontologies improved the data quality and its format, enabling the linking of these to the plant material studied when uploaded in the breeding databases or in repositories. Some modifications to the database model were necessary to accommodate the food sensory traits and sensory panel trials.

Background: Most rheological analyses in yam have been done on starch gels, which requires starch extraction from the tubers. In situ rheology bypasses the need of starch extraction and relies on the original cell structure and complex matrix organization under stress or strain. Dynamic rheological properties of tuber from 16 accessions belonging to four yam species (Dioscorea rotundata, D. alata. D. bulbifera and D. dumetorum) were investigated for potential use as a medium throughput phenotyping screening tool that can indicate the quality of yam food products or their industrial potentials. Results: Rheographs of the tubers illustrated differences in the structure of D. bulbifera compared to other yam species. High initial storage modulus (G′) of yam parenchyma indicated tubers with strong and rigid structure which do not lose their structural integrity easily on heating. Dioscorea rotundata and D. alata varieties exhibited a lower temperature at which gelatinization took place (Tgel) equivalent to the irreversible transition during starch gelatinization (75.3 and 79.8 °C) and took shorter time (867 and 958 s, respectively) to reach the G′ maximum, compared to other species. The stress relaxation test showed that the higher the dry matter of the tubers, the higher the work to rupture the structure. Conclusion: Rheological characteristics G′, loss modulus (G″), swelling capacity and Tgel showed potential as suitable quality indicators for yam products. In situ rheological characterization of yam tubers could be used as an instrumental screening tool to phenotype for quality in yam products. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential of hyperspectral imaging for the characterization of cooking quality parameters, dry matter content (DMC), water absorption (WAB), and texture in cassava genotypes contrasting for their cooking quality. RESULTS: Hyperspectral images were acquired on cooked and fresh intact longitudinal and transversal slices from 31 cassava genotypes harvested in March 2022 in Colombia. Different chemometric methods were tested for the quantification of DMC, WAB, and texture parameters. Data analysis was conducted through partial least squares regression, K nearest neighbors regression, support vector machine regression and CovSel multiple linear regression (CovSel_MLR). Efficient performances were obtained for DMC using CovSel_MLR with, coefficient of multiple determination , root-mean-square error of prediction RMSEP = 0.96 g/100 g, and ratio of the standard deviation values RPD = 3.60. High heterogeneity was observed between contrasting genotypes. The predicted distribution of DMC within the root can be homogeneous or heterogeneous depending on the genotype. Weak predictions were obtained for WAB and texture parameters. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that hyperspectral imaging could be used as a high-throughput phenotyping tool for the visualization of DMC in contrasting cooking quality genotypes. Further improvement of protocols and larger datasets are required for WAB and texture quality traits.

BACKGROUND: Consumers of boiled cassava in Africa, Latin America and Asia use specific preference criteria to evaluate its cooking quality, in terms of texture, colour and taste. To improve adoption rates of improved cassava varieties intended for consumption after boiling, these preference criteria need to be determined, quantified and integrated as post-harvest quality traits in the target product profile of boiled cassava, so that breeding programs may screen candidate varieties based on both agronomic traits and consumer preference traits. RESULTS: Surveys of various end-user groups identified seven priority quality attributes of boiled cassava covering root preparation, visual aspect, taste and texture. Three populations of contrasted cassava genotypes, from good-cooking to bad-cooking, in three countries (Uganda, Benin, Colombia) were then characterized according to these quality attributes by sensory quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA) and by standard instrumental methods. Consumers' preferences of the texture attributes mealiness and hardness were also determined. By analysis of correlations, the consumers' preferences scores were translated into thresholds of acceptability in terms of QDA scores, then in terms of instrumental measurements (water absorption during boiling and texture analysis). The thresholds of acceptability were used to identify among the Colombian and Benin populations promising genotypes for boiled cassava quality. CONCLUSION: This work demonstrates the steps of determining priority quality attributes for boiled cassava and establishing their corresponding quantitative thresholds of acceptability. The information can then be included in boiled cassava target product profiles used by cassava breeders, for better selection and adoption rates of new varieties.

Background: Cassava roots are widely consumed in tropical regions of Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Although the protein, vitamin, carotenoid, and mineral content in the leaves makes them a nutritionally attractive option, their consumption is limited due to their high levels of cyanogenic compounds (CCs). In this study, the CC content in different parts of the plant (leaves, storage root cortex, and parenchyma) was assessed at harvest for 50 landrace genotypes representative of cassava diversity in Latin America. The changes in CC in leaves at different physiological ages (3, 6, 9, and 11 months after planting) were also investigated. Results: The average CC was higher in the cortex (804 ppm) and leaves (655 ppm) than in root parenchyma (305 ppm). Genotypes from different regions of Latin America, as identified by seven genetic diversity groups, differed significantly in CC levels. The Andean and Amazon groups had, respectively, the lowest (P = 0.0008) and highest (P < 0.0001) CC levels in all three parts of the plants. Cyanogenic compound concentrations were higher in leaves from young plants (P < 0.0001) and decreased with increasing physiological age. Conclusion: The results help to guide the selection of parental lines with low CC levels for breeding and to contribute to the expanded use of cassava and its by-products for food and feed. Cassava for fresh consumption, especially, requires varieties with low total CC content, especially in the root cortex and parenchyma. COL1108 (204, 213, and 174 ppm, respectively, in the parenchyma, cortex, and leaves) and PER297 (83, 238, and 299 ppm, respectively, in the parenchyma, cortex, and leaves) can fulfill this requirement.

Coffee beans are a major agricultural product and coffee is one of the most widely traded commodities and consumed beverages globally. Supply chains and cropping systems are very diverse, with contrasted potentials and performance, as well as environmental impacts. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies are needed to inform on reduction in impacts, but there is a lack of comprehensive understanding of the variability of existing LCA results and impacts of the cropping systems and their trade-offs along the supply chains. In an attempt to address this knowledge gap, the paper presents a systematic literature review of coffee LCA, considering a total of 34 studies covering 234 coffee systems. Global warming potential (GWP) was the impact category most reported in the literature, but the results varied greatly at both the farm and drink levels. For the former, the GWP values ranged from 0.15 to 14.5 (median: 3.6) kg CO2 eq./kg green coffee beans and for the latter the values ranged from 2 to 23 (median: 8.8) kg CO2 eq./kg consumed coffee in drinks. Main contributors to the GWP of production of green coffee beans were land use change (LUC), fertilisers and wet processing. However, there were great inconsistencies across studies in terms of LUC accounting, field emissions and wet process modelling. Green coffee beans production was also the main contributor to the GWP of coffee consumed, followed by brewing and coffee cup washing. Some studies covered other impacts, in addition to GWP. At both the farm and drink levels, fertilisers and pesticides were the main contributors to eutrophication and acidification, and to ecotoxicity, respectively. Brewing was the second main contributor at the drink level, in some cases the top contributor for energy-related indicators. Assumptions on packaging, cup washing and waste disposal were highly variable across studies. Water impact indicators were hardly comparable due to the system variability and method inconsistencies. Given the lar

Cassava's transformation into an industrial raw material necessitates new processing techniques that improve quality while lowering processing costs. Drying has been identified as a major bottleneck in the production of high-quality cassava flour (HQCF) and expansion of its industrial application in Sub-Sahara African. This has triggered efforts towards developing an energy-efficient flash dryer for cassava flour/starch production at a small scale. A scaled-up version of the prototype flash dryer installed at the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), Cali, Colombia, was built at the Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi, (FIIRO), Lagos, Nigeria based on numerical modeling. Excel tools developed by the CGIAR (RTB) scientists were used to design the components and built using locally sourced materials. The automation system of the flash dryer allows for operational flexibility, increased energy efficiency and reduced cost. It features a longer drying tube (22.5 m), a compact and improved heat exchanger, a larger blower for higher air velocity, and a high air/product ratio, thereby optimizing the drying efficiency. The dryer was evaluated with mechanically dewatered cassava mash (wet cake) dried into high quality cassava flour at air temperature of 180 °C and velocity of 13 m/s. The initial moisture content of the wet cake was 47.06 % wb, which was reduced to 9.6 % wb of dried product. Using a capacity of 298.0 kg of wet cake per hour, an output of 186.34 kg of dried product was achieved, resulting in an energy efficiency of 80.8 % and specific energy consumption of 2570 kJ/kg product of final product and 4560 kJ/kg water of evaporated water. These results revealed that the dryer is efficient and suitable for small-scale enterprises. Its use can reduce the production costs and expand the global market opportunity for cassava flour.

BACKGROUND: The isosteric heat of desorption is vital in evaluating the energy performance of food dryers. The isosteric heat of desorption was investigated for different cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) products prepared as flour or starch, with and without fermentation. An automated moisture sorption gravimetric analyser was used to measure the desorption isotherms over 10–90% relative humidity of the drying air at temperatures ranging from 25 to 65 °C. RESULTS: Analysis of variance showed an imperceptible contribution of the preparation method in the measured desorption data. This finding also agreed with microscopical images, which revealed the lack of compelling structural differences among different products. A set of empirical sorption equations suggested by the ASAE standard was examined over the measured desorption isotherms. The standard error of estimation was found to be in the acceptable range of 2.36–3.71%. Furthermore, the fulfilment of the enthalpy-entropy compensation theory was considered as an additional criterion in the thermodynamic results of different sorption equations, besides their fitting adequacy. The modified Chung–Pfost equation has proved to be the most suitable equation for cassava products, as it is capable of reflecting the temperature dependency of the isosteric heat of desorption. The net isosteric heat of desorption obtained was in the range of 540–1110 kJ kg−1 for 0.10 kg kg−1 dry-basis moisture content and 52–108 kJ kg−1 for 0.25 kg kg−1 dry-basis moisture content. CONCLUSION: These findings are technologically relevant for optimising common drying technologies such as flash and flatbed dryers. © 2022 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

All cassava varieties are known to contain some level of cyanogenic glucosides (CGs). Linamarine and lotaustrine are the commonest CGs in cassava but linamarine is the most abundant. The linamarine is readily hydrolyzed to glucose and acetone cyanohydrin in the presence of linamarase enzyme, which is also inherently produced by the plant. Acetone cyanohydrin decomposes rapidly in neutral or alkaline solution, liberating cyanide gas. Production of free HCN in cassava roots is prevented by compartmentalization of linamerase in cell walls and linamarine and lotaustraline in the vacuole. Therefore, damage/rupture of root tissues is desired for this reaction to occur. This Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) documents steps taken during determination of cassava root HCN content using the picrate method at the National Crops Resources Research Institute (NaCRRI), under the auspices of the RTBfoods project. Furthermore, the RTBfoods project seeks to develop high-throughput phenotyping protocols to provide RTB breeders with fast, accurate, and reproducible procedures for rapid phenotyping of their populations. NIRS is one such technologies that has been widely deployed in plant phenomics. In order to build NIRS prediction models, reference data must be matched with NIRS spectra. This document provides an SOP for generating HCN reference data using the picrate method and matching this data to NIRS spectra. Calibration of HCN reference data and NIRS data is the object of a separate document.

This study concerns 1101 genotypes from several breeding populations harvested and analyzed at CIAT (Colombia) over 4 years between 2019 and 2022. The near-infrared spectra of the mashed fresh roots of all the genotypes were recorded according to the SOP (Belalcazar John, 2020) developed within the RTBfoods project. Water absorption at 30 minutes boiling was measured according to the SOP developed by CIAT (Escobar Salamanca Andrés Felipe, 2022). The distribution of the WA30 values is asymmetric on the left, 1692 samples (58%) presented WA30 values lower than 12%, and 1213 samples (42%) presented WA30 >12%. The dispersion of the data increases with year, the WA30 standard deviations varies from 5,1% (2019) to 10,4% (2022), the variability of WA30 values increases by a factor 2. This may reflect the increasing diversity of the populations screened by the CIAT, with more progeny populations being screened by WA30. The WA30 value is inversely correlated to cooking time, therefore samples with high values of WA30 correspond to candidate genotypes with low cooking time (CT) as well as softer, more mealy texture. A limit between low and long cooking time genotypes can be arbitrarily set at 12% for WA30, corresponding to ~35 minutes cooking. Samples lower or equal to 12% of WA30 can be considered as poor genotype (too long CT) and samples with WA30 values higher than 12% correspond to suitable genotypes for end user with a low CT. Two sets of data were constituted: one for learning, tuning the parameters, and one for testing, evaluating the error of the predictive model. To do this, 70% (n = 2033) of the samples were randomly selected for learning set and the remaining 30% (n = 872) were used for testing. The repartitions per WA30 classes and year were maintained within the two sets. Two modelling strategies were investigated: 1) an indirect classification based on a regression step to predict WA30 using spectral fingerprints and then class attribution according to WA30 pre