Traditional processing associated changes in chemical parameters of wild Yam (Dioscorea) tubers from Koraput, Odisha, India

Abstract

Wild yam tuber considered as famine food and played a prime role in the food habit of tribal people of Koraput district of Odisha, India. The tribal people employed a range of processing of these yams such as boiled, soaked and sun dried for detoxification of antinutrients in accordance with their needs. There is a scarcity of documented information on their nutrient composition/retention by traditional processing methods. The current study assessed the traditional processing (boiled, soaked and sun dried) associated changes in chemical composition and physico-functional characteristics of 6 wild and 1 cultivated <em>Dioscorea</em> tubers collected from Koraput, India. Different processing led to a significant reduction of proximate compositions and nutrient content compared to the raw tuber, whereas physico-functional parameters increased significantly (p<0.05). In addition, there was significant decrease in the antinutrients, minerals and vitamin content by different processing in studied yam species. Results suggested that wild <em>Dioscorea</em> tubers as safe food sources for mass consumption and should be used in boiling form, as it retains higher nutrients coupled with significant removal of antinutritional compositions.