Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Grand Ballroom
Organic acids are important constituents of flavor and other quality attributes in sweetpotatoes. Changes in organic acid content were determined in ‘Beauregard’ and ‘Evangeline’ sweetpotato roots after 7 days of curing at 21 °C and 32 °C. Malic acid was the principal organic acid in roots of both cultivars at harvest and after curing. Citric and succinic acids were the secondary and tertiary organic acids detected. Malic and succinic acids increased during curing, while citric acid decreased. The increase in malic and succinic acid content during curing was accentuated at the higher curing temperature (32 °C). Concurrently, the decrease in citric acid during curing was more pronounced at 32 °C than 21 °C. Total organic acid content slightly increased in both cultivars after curing.