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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Raleigh, North Carolina » Food Science and Market Quality and Handling Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #376305

Research Project: Improved Vegetable Processing Methods to Reduce Environmental Impact, Enhance Product Quality and Reduce Food Waste

Location: Food Science and Market Quality and Handling Research Unit

Title: Sensory characteristics and consumer segmentation of fried sweetpotato for expanded markets in Africa

Author
item DERY, ERIC - Kwame Nkrumah University Of Science And Technology
item CAREY, EDWARD - International Potato Center
item SSALI, REUBEN - International Potato Center
item LOW, JAN - International Potato Centre
item Johanningsmeier, Suzanne
item ODURO, IBOK - Kwame Nkrumah University Of Science And Technology
item BOAKYE, ABENA - Kwame Nkrumah University Of Science And Technology
item OMODAMIRO, RACHEL - National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI)
item YUSUF, HAUWA - Bayero University

Submitted to: International Journal of Food Science and Technology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/13/2020
Publication Date: 3/1/2021
Citation: Dery, E.K., Carey, E.E., Ssali, R.T., Low, J.W., Johanningsmeier, S.D., Oduro, I., Boakye, A., Omodamiro, R., Yusuf, H. 2021. Sensory characteristics and consumer segmentation of fried sweetpotato for expanded markets in Africa. International Journal of Food Science and Technology. 56(3):1419-1431. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijfs.14847.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/ijfs.14847

Interpretive Summary: Prepared foods are increasing in popularity in West Africa alongside rapid urbanization. Growing demand for fried products calls for targeted sweetpotato breeding efforts to meet consumer needs, but little is known regarding consumer preferences for specific product attributes. This research identified the sensory attributes of fried sweetpotato preferred by different consumer groups in Ghana and Nigeria using a combination of consumer acceptance testing and descriptive sensory analysis. This research provides a guide to sweetpotato breeders in developing and deploying appropriate sweetpotato cultivars capable of meeting targeted consumer needs for sweetpotato fries and other fried sweetpotato products in distinct segments. It will also enable stakeholders in the sweetpotato value chain to create strategies to increase adoption and consumption of new sweetpotato varieties in sub-Saharan Africa.

Technical Abstract: Prepared foods are increasing in popularity in West Africa alongside rapid urbanisation. Growing demand for fried products calls for targeted breeding efforts to meet consumer needs, but little is known regarding consumer preferences. This research identified the sensory attributes of fried sweetpotato preferred by different consumer groups using a combination of consumer acceptance testing and descriptive sensory analysis. Market and community surveys identified three consumer segments in Ghana and Nigeria with contrasting preferences for fried sweetpotato sensory attributes. One group preferred crispy, crunchy, mealy and sweet fried sweetpotato; another preferred characteristic yam flavour and dry texture; and the third preferred uniform orange colour appearance, ripe plantain flavour and palm nutty flavour. Such consumer segmentation can help emerging West African fried sweetpotato industries identify target markets and provides valuable information to breeders, growers and retailers to prioritise attributes in their breeding, growing or product sourcing decisions.