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Submitted to: HortScience
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 8/11/2003 Publication Date: 6/1/2004 Citation: Wall, M.M. 2004. Compositional and sensory analyses of sweetpotatoes after x-ray irradiation quarantine treatment. Hortscience 39:574-577. Interpretive Summary: Hawaii-grown sweet potatoes cannot be shipped to mainland U.S. or international markets without being treated for quarantine security against insect pests. Two types of sweet potatoes were treated with low doses of X-ray irradiation and evaluated for changes in sugars, starch, color, firmness, and flavor to determine whether irradiation negatively impacts sweet potato quality. Irradiation doses likely to be effective for quarantine treatment did not reduce the compositional or sensory quality of sweet potatoes. However, slight decreases in firmness and starch contents were observed, and these factors may shorten sweet potato storage life. Technical Abstract: Sweet potato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.] roots of two Hawaii-grown clones were treated with 100 to 600 Gy X-ray irradiation and evaluated for quality. Root moisture content, surface color, and glucose and fructose concentrations were not affected by irradiation treatment for either the red-skin, yellow-flesh (RY) or the white-skin, purple-flesh (WP) clones. Firmness decreased at higher doses for RY roots, but not for WP roots. The percent alcohol insoluble solids and the starch concentrations of raw roots decreased linearly in response to increasing dose for both clones. Maltose was not detected in raw roots, but decreased at higher doses in cooked RY roots only. Irradiation had the greatest effect on sucrose concentrations, which increased linearly in response to dose as starch concentrations decreased. A sensory panel perceived sweet potato roots treated with 600 Gy irradiation as sweeter than control roots. Panelists found the overall acceptability to be the same for control and 600 Gy treated roots for both clones. |
