Three yam species, white yam (Dioscorea rotundata), yellow yam (D. cayenensis) and water yam (D. alata), were evaluated for textural characteristics. Differences in the texture of the yam varied with species, section of the yam used and the length of storage following harvest. Differences in texture were related to changes in the starch granules upon cooking. Compressive strength of the cooked disks correlates with the umount of starch released during cooking. The modijied sensory texture projile analysis, however, is more descriptive of the textural characteristics of the cooked yarns and emphasises those attributes which can be measured objectively. Freshly harvested yams had lower intensity ratings for the main textural attributes than stored yams. The possibility of using some yam vurieties and sections o j them as products with special textural qualities is suggested.