Orange-Fleshed Sweetpotato Puree: A Breakthrough Product for the Bakery Sector in Africa

Abstract

Replacing some of the wheat flour in breads and pastries with OFSP (orange-fleshed sweetpotato) puree can increase the market demand for these nutritious varieties and would offer economic opportunities for smallholders, including women and youths. The technology to make sweetpotato puree has been well developed in industrialized countries since the 1960s. Techniques fine-tuned by RTB allow OFSP puree to be stored in plastic bags for 6 months, without refrigeration. Private companies in Malawi and Kenya are now manufacturing the puree and selling it to bakeries that substitute OFSP puree for up to 40% of the white wheat flour in bread and other baked goods. Consumers like the bread that is sold in supermarkets and bakeries. Food safety protocols ensure that the puree is part of safe, healthy products. The OFSP seed is available to smallholder farmers, who are linked with processors who buy the roots. Business models suggest that processing puree is profitable. The Scaling Readiness approach is helping to ensure that more farmers, processors, and consumers benefit from OFSP.

Appropriate Post-Harvest Technologies for Biofortified Crops Pro Enhanced Utilization, Value Addition, and Micronutrient Retention

“…Use of puree is growing in bakeries, eateries, and restaurants globally [76] and its technology from sweet potato has been developed in industrialized countries like USA since the 1960s [77,78] as well as in developing countries, especially Africa since New Advances in Postharvest Technology the 1990s. OFSP puree processing technologies have advanced over the decades from traditional methods of manual mashing of cooked roots to highly sophisticated and automated systems.…”

“…It has opened A typical puree machine with the aseptically packaged OFSP puree. Source: Moyo et al [93].…”

“…These have resulted in positive impacts on income generation for small-scale farmers and businesses, employment opportunities for women and youths, and improved nutritional status of target communities are some of the targeted outcomes. With these innovative processing technologies and successful piloting of the product, OFSP puree has been described as "breakthrough product" for Africa that offers the much-needed nutritious products, with consumer accepted organoleptic properties [93]. However, further work needs to be done in scaling up through more public awareness and education on its multiple health benefits for all, for consumption and commercialization.…”

“…According to Moyo et al, African millers spend millions importing wheat, with East African countries being among the top importers. Kenya's wheat import bills are estimated at $250 million, Tanzania's at $150 million, Uganda's at $53 million, and Rwanda's at $35 million per year [93]. Substitution of wheat flour with OFSP puree up to 50% can significantly reduce dependency on imported wheat flour, enhance utilization and consumption of locally produced OFSP, create jobs for smallholder farmers, women and youths, and ultimately contribute to national economy.…”

Physicochemical compositions, nutritional and functional properties, and color qualities of sorghum–orange‐fleshed sweet potato composite flour

“…Sweet potato ( Ipomoea batatas ) is an essential tuber crop produced and consumed worldwide. Presently, it is cultivated in over 115 countries (FAOSTAT, 2019) and is recognized as a secondary staple food, playing a crucial role in the diets of individuals in several developing nations (Kurabachew, 2015; Moyo et al., 2022; Sohindji et al., 2022). OFSP is a distinctive variety of sweet potato characterized by its distinct orange color and appealing sweet flavor.…”