The 2009 ASHS Annual Conference

Consumers are placing increasing importance on the nutritional quality of food products in making their purchasing decisions. Limited information is available on the nutrient content of the commercially important sweetpotato cultivars marketed in North America and Europe. Crude protein and mineral composition was determined in the roots of numerous orange and white flesh cultivars. Crude protein content ranged from 1.18 g/100g fresh weight in ‘Garnet’ to 2.29 g/100g in ‘Bienville’. However, consumed in moderation, sweetpotatoes only contribute a minor amount of protein to the diet. Potassium (K) was the principal macro element in all cultivars, followed by phosphorus (P). The sweetpotato is a potentially good source of K to the diet. The K content ranged from 275 mg/100g in ‘Georgia Jet’ to 1,220 mg/100g in ‘Garnet’. The P content ranged from 28 mg/100g in ‘Georgia Jet’ to 54 mg/100g in ‘Bienville’.  The remaining macro elements were present in lesser amounts, with roughly similar levels found in calcium, magnesium, and sulfur. ‘Diane’ was the cultivar that contained the highest amounts of these macro elements. Iron and manganese were the principal minor elements found in all sweetpotato cultivars, followed by lesser amounts of zinc, boron, copper. Substantial differences in micronutrient content existed between cultivars.