Chemical Composition of Flours Produced from Improved Varieties of Wateryam (Dioscorea Alata):- Emesibe, Confidence O

ABSTRACT

This study focused on the proximate composition and starch quality and mineral contents of flours produced from selected water yam. Selected water yam varieties were procured from Yam Programme of National Root Crop Research Institute, (NRCRI) Umudike. The water yam varieties were cleaned and converted into flour after undergoing standard unit operations The selected yam cultivars include; TDa 1100374, TDa 291. TDa 1100194 and TDa 1100302. The flour samples obtained from the water yam varieties were subjected to proximate composition, total starch, resistant and non resistant starch and mineral composition determinations. The results of the proximate composition ranged from 6.07-8.18,%, 8.91-14.85, 0.30-0.48 %, 0.96- 1.23 %, 2.47-5.20 %, 74.26-78.59 % and 352.04-362.56 Kcal , moisture content, protein, fat, fibre, ash, carbohydrate and energy value, respectively. The total starch ranged from 73.54-74.67 %, resistant starch ranged from 18. 15-18.80 % while non resistant starch ranged from 55.25- 55.4 7 %. The magnesium and phosphorus content of the water yam samples ranged from J 65.70- 192.71 mg/lO0g and 108.37-197-45 mg/l00g magnesium and phosphorus respectively. The results of this study revealed that the water yam samples consist of vital nutrients.