Tropical Tuber Starches

Structural and Functional Characteristics

S N Moorthy, M S Sajeev, R P K Ambrose, R J Anish

• Publisher: CAB International
• Year: 2020
• Print ISBN:
  9781786394811
• eBook ISBN:
  9781786394835
• Topic: Biological Sciences
• Subtopic: Botany
• Index: Biological Sciences

This book provides comprehensive and up-to-date knowledge relating to the morphological, structural, and functional characteristics of tuber starches, particularly in relation to their applications in food and industry. In recent years there has been significant progress and extensive research conducted on tropical root starches and especially on some of the lesser known tuber crop starches. There has also been a shift towards using biomaterials in place of synthetic materials in various applications. As researchers investigate the availability of natural products with similar properties, starch has been identified as a reliable alternative to these synthetic materials.Reflecting the growing body of research, Tropical Tuber Starches: - Explores the structure, properties and applications of tropical root and tuber starches (cassava, sweet potato, aroids, yams and other minor tuber crops)- Includes a chapter on the methodology for starch characterisation- Covers patents on starch-based products and the commercial potential of tropical root starchesA valuable resource for researchers and students, plant breeders, and commercial producers working with, or considering working with, tropical tuber starches.

1

Introduction – Tropical Tuber Crops and Their Importance

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© S.N. Moorthy et al. 2021. Tropical Tuber Starches: Structural and Functional Characteristics (S.N. Moorthy et al.)

Food security and climate change are among the top themes included in the present-day development agenda (Nayar, 2014). Tuber crops are the second most important group of crop plants after cereals (Table 1.1), but a wide gap exists between them.

Table 1.1. Food balance sheets of tuber crops, 1961 and 2009 (FAO, 2009).

Particulars	All tuber crops	All cereals	Potato	Cassava	Sweet potato	Yam	Roots, other
Production (Mt)	445.2/720.4	779.0/2251.6	270.4/331.4	62.4/219.8	97.1/101.8	8.0/47.0	6.6/20.3
Feed (000 Mt)	99.3/163.8	288.4/746.2	70.9/37.7	16.3/79.0	10.4/39.8	0.9/6.6	0.8/0.7
Processing (000 Mt)	79.8/62.2	31.6/95.2	24.2/25.3	6.0/22.5	5.3/6.6	0.9/5.2	0.8/2.7
Food (000 Mt)	407.5/406.9	590.5/976.7	108.9/219.3	37.6/95.0	80.3/55.4	46/25.6	4.7/13.6
Food supply (kg capita^-1 year^-1)	77.4/61.1	128.0/146.7	35.7/32.6	12.3/14.3	26.3/8.3	1.5/3.8	1.5/2.0
Food supply (kg capita^-1 day^-1)	176/136	1078/1292	65/61	32/37	71/22	4/11	4/6

The first figure in each case is for 1961 and the second is for 2009.

In fact, the importance of cassava can be gauged from a comment by Rosling who referred to it as the ‘Cinderella of the poor’ because its rapid spread in Africa led originally to an improvement in agricultural productivity and prevented potential famine in some areas (Rosling, 1987). While cereals contribute 49% energy towards global food security, the share of tuber crops is very meagre (5.4%) (Table 1.2).

Table 1.2. Contribution of tuber crops to food and nutrition, 2009. (Source: FAO, 2009; ‘contributions’ calculated by the author.)

Item	Food supply (kg capita^-1 year^-1)	Energy (kcals capita^-1 day^-1)	Contribution (%)
Tuber crops	61.1	136	5.4
Cassava	14.3	37	1.9
Sweet potatoes	8.3	22	1.5
Yams	3.8	11	0.3
Roots (yautia, tannia)	2.0	6	trace
Cereals	146.7	1,292	49.0
Rice	52.9	532	20.5

Others items’ contribution: oils = 12.5%; meat and eggs = 9.5%; sugars = 9.0%; fruits = 3.0%.

Presently, tropical tuber crops (TTC) are being consumed as staple foods, as secondary staple foods, and as vegetables, mainly in the tropics. The main TTCs are listed below: (Kay, 1987).

1. Arracacha, Peruvian carrot, Peruvian parsnip

Botanical name	Arracacia xanthorrhiza
Family	Umbelliferae
Other names	Apio, arrecate, Batata baroa
Botany	Stou...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half-title Page
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• 1. Introduction – Tropical Tuber Crops and Their Importance
• 2. Starch – General Considerations
• 3. Cassava
• 4. Sweet Potato
• 5. Aroids
• 6. Yams
• 7. Other Starches
• 8. Starch Modifications
• 9. Applications of Tuber Starches
• 10. Characterization and Analysis of Starches: Methodology for Starch Analysis
• 11. Conclusions and Future Prospects
• Appendix
• Index
• Back-inner-cover
• Backcover