Developing commercial-scale fresh sweetpotato root storage in tropical areas of sub-Saharan Africa

As food systems across sub-Saharan Africa transform and urbanise, demand for all-year-round supplies for the raw materials is increasing. This demand can be met through combinations of staggering crop production, purchasing from diverse geographical areas, and storing produce. Focusing on the increa...

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Autores principales: Stathers, T., Otieno, B., Kipkoech, B., Rees, D., Precoppe, M., Muoki, Penina Ngusye, Low, Jan W.
Formato: Journal Article
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: Elsevier 2025
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/170123
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author Stathers, T.
Otieno, B.
Kipkoech, B.
Rees, D.
Precoppe, M.
Muoki, Penina Ngusye
Low, Jan W.
author_browse Kipkoech, B.
Low, Jan W.
Muoki, Penina Ngusye
Otieno, B.
Precoppe, M.
Rees, D.
Stathers, T.
author_facet Stathers, T.
Otieno, B.
Kipkoech, B.
Rees, D.
Precoppe, M.
Muoki, Penina Ngusye
Low, Jan W.
author_sort Stathers, T.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description As food systems across sub-Saharan Africa transform and urbanise, demand for all-year-round supplies for the raw materials is increasing. This demand can be met through combinations of staggering crop production, purchasing from diverse geographical areas, and storing produce. Focusing on the increasing use of orange-fleshed sweetpotato root puree in vitamin-A-rich food products, we ran a series of storage trials in Kenya to investigate whether commercial-scale fresh orange-fleshed sweetpotato storage could provide a stable supply of roots for puree production. The trials studied storage of roots of two sweetpotato varieties (Kabode and Vita), using washed versus unwashed roots in wooden crates, and mains grid power versus off-grid solar-powered storerooms for four-months. Following curing at 30 °C, roots were stored at 20–23 °C, and quality assessed. After four months storage, 54–59 % (Kabode) and 63–83 % (Vita) of initial root weight remained suitable for processing into puree. However, weevil and sprouting problems occurred. Vita outperformed Kabode for most criteria. Neither root washing nor different storerooms had a consistent effect on root quality. Subsequent trials in a solar-powered store investigated if lower temperatures of ≤15 °C and 90 % rh, with pre-harvest dehaulming could reduce weevil development, sprouting and rotting in stored roots. While control of sprouting and weevil damage was achieved and dehaulming improved stored root quality, while washing reduced it, high incidence of rotting and root weight loss occurred. Increasing store ventilation did not reduce rotting. We conclude that further trials with well controlled storage environments are required to understand how raw root quality, dehaulming, harvesting and handling practices, curing conditions, air exchange, and packaging materials affect quality during fresh root storage.
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spelling CGSpace1701232025-10-26T13:01:49Z Developing commercial-scale fresh sweetpotato root storage in tropical areas of sub-Saharan Africa Stathers, T. Otieno, B. Kipkoech, B. Rees, D. Precoppe, M. Muoki, Penina Ngusye Low, Jan W. sweet potatoes storage postharvest technology retinol food security As food systems across sub-Saharan Africa transform and urbanise, demand for all-year-round supplies for the raw materials is increasing. This demand can be met through combinations of staggering crop production, purchasing from diverse geographical areas, and storing produce. Focusing on the increasing use of orange-fleshed sweetpotato root puree in vitamin-A-rich food products, we ran a series of storage trials in Kenya to investigate whether commercial-scale fresh orange-fleshed sweetpotato storage could provide a stable supply of roots for puree production. The trials studied storage of roots of two sweetpotato varieties (Kabode and Vita), using washed versus unwashed roots in wooden crates, and mains grid power versus off-grid solar-powered storerooms for four-months. Following curing at 30 °C, roots were stored at 20–23 °C, and quality assessed. After four months storage, 54–59 % (Kabode) and 63–83 % (Vita) of initial root weight remained suitable for processing into puree. However, weevil and sprouting problems occurred. Vita outperformed Kabode for most criteria. Neither root washing nor different storerooms had a consistent effect on root quality. Subsequent trials in a solar-powered store investigated if lower temperatures of ≤15 °C and 90 % rh, with pre-harvest dehaulming could reduce weevil development, sprouting and rotting in stored roots. While control of sprouting and weevil damage was achieved and dehaulming improved stored root quality, while washing reduced it, high incidence of rotting and root weight loss occurred. Increasing store ventilation did not reduce rotting. We conclude that further trials with well controlled storage environments are required to understand how raw root quality, dehaulming, harvesting and handling practices, curing conditions, air exchange, and packaging materials affect quality during fresh root storage. 2025-05 2025-01-27T20:51:39Z 2025-01-27T20:51:39Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/170123 en Open Access Elsevier Stathers, T.; Otieno, B.; Kipkoech, B.; Rees, D.; Precoppe, M.; Muoki, P.; Low, J. 2024. Developing commercial-scale fresh sweetpotato root storage in tropical areas of sub-Saharan Africa. Journal of Stored Products Research. 111. ISSN 1879-1212. 15 p. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jspr.2024.102522
spellingShingle sweet potatoes
storage
postharvest technology
retinol
food security
Stathers, T.
Otieno, B.
Kipkoech, B.
Rees, D.
Precoppe, M.
Muoki, Penina Ngusye
Low, Jan W.
Developing commercial-scale fresh sweetpotato root storage in tropical areas of sub-Saharan Africa
title Developing commercial-scale fresh sweetpotato root storage in tropical areas of sub-Saharan Africa
title_full Developing commercial-scale fresh sweetpotato root storage in tropical areas of sub-Saharan Africa
title_fullStr Developing commercial-scale fresh sweetpotato root storage in tropical areas of sub-Saharan Africa
title_full_unstemmed Developing commercial-scale fresh sweetpotato root storage in tropical areas of sub-Saharan Africa
title_short Developing commercial-scale fresh sweetpotato root storage in tropical areas of sub-Saharan Africa
title_sort developing commercial scale fresh sweetpotato root storage in tropical areas of sub saharan africa
topic sweet potatoes
storage
postharvest technology
retinol
food security
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/170123
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