Characterisation of yacon tuberous roots and leaves by DART-TOF/MS.

Yacon [ Smallanthus sonchifolius (Poepp. et Endl.) H. Robinson] is a plant grown worldwide originating in the Andes region. Yacon is grown for its sweet tuberous roots and leaves used for the preparation of herbal infusions. Twenty-six yacon landraces’ leaves and roots (both peeled and unpeeled) have been analysed by DART-TOF/MS. The method has been optimised and the fingerprints of the mass spectra have been statistically processed by PCA and LDA statistical analysis. The DART method has succeeded in differentiating between the yacon landraces according to their genotype and geographical origin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]