The role of orange fleshed sweet potato (Ipomea batatas) for combating vitamin A deficiency in Ethiopia: a review
2015
E12104
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Details
Title
The role of orange fleshed sweet potato (Ipomea batatas) for combating vitamin A deficiency in Ethiopia: a review
Author
Kurabachew, H.
Publication Date
2015
Call Number
E12104
Summary
Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is a serious public health problem in developing countries like Ethiopia. To combat this problem, food-based intervention is an appropriate and sustainable approach under Ethiopian circumstance along with supplementation of capsule and food fortification. Thus, orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) which is rich in beta -carotene has the potential to mitigate vitamin A deficiency problem. Given its high provitamin A content, low input requirements and adaptation to African farming systems, orange-fleshed sweet potatoes can make a sustainable and significant contribution to satisfy the vitamin A dietary requirement of the resource poor Ethiopian. In this regard different food product was developed in Tigray and Southern Ethiopia, from flours of OFSP blended with flours of other crops such as maize and wheat at different proportion. The developed food products were found to be rich in vitamin A content compared to the local staple food (which is poor in vitamin A) and reported to meet the daily RDA of the different age groups upon consumption of the products in the study areas. Therefore, much effort is required to popularize the crop, develop different recipes and food product which the rural community can use to combat vitamin A deficiency.
Journal Citation
5(3):141-146, INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE AND NUTRITION ENGINEERING
Contact Information
harvest@worldveg.org
Record Appears in
Research > Published Articles