ISSN 2375-1177
African Journal of Agriculture and Food Security ISSN: 2375-1177 Vol. 13 (4), pp. 001-008, April, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research paper
Evaluating Total Carotenoid and β-Carotene Degradation in Varieties of Bitter Yellow Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz)
R. G. Alcides Oliveira1, M. J. Lucia de Carvalho1*, R. Marília Nutti1, L. V. José de Carvalho2 and Wânia Gonçalves Fukuda3
1Rio de Janeiro Federal University, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho, 373 , CCS, Bloco K, Sala KI - 38, Ilha do Fundão, 21941902, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
2Embrapa Food Technology, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
3Embrapa Cassava and Tropical Fruits, Cruz das Almas, BA, Brazil.
Accepted 8 November, 2024
Abstract
The assessment of the variability of total carotenoid, ß-carotene, all-E, and 13 and 9-Z-ß-carotene isomers in twelve bitter yellow cassava was carried out, as well its degradation in five varieties after flour processing and during storage. HPLC and UV/ visible spectrophotometry were used in sample analyses. Varieties of bitter yellow cassava presented variation in the total carotenoid contents from 1.97 - 16.33 µg/bg and the ß-carotene contents varied from 1.37 - 7.66 µg/g. The 13, 9-Z and all-E-ß-carotene isomers were found in all varieties, being all -E-ß-carotene the predominant one. The mean degradation among the roots after processing was of 50%. Total carotenoid complete degradation was observed with less than 30 storage days. It was also observed that the total carotenoid contents in yellow bitter cassava roots varied, probably due to the characteristics of the used varieties. Heat during processing, light and oxygen might have been the agents that most contributed to flour total carotenoids degradation.
Key words: Bitter yellow cassava, ß-carotene, carotenoid, flour.