Indexing
All Issues
Submission
Author Guidelines
Reviewers
Editorial Members
Publication Fee
Vol.2 , No. 3, Publication Date: Apr. 21, 2015, Page: 21-30
 in Nigeria. An eighteen year (1997-2015) study was therefore used to document the vernacular names and traditional food processing methods of cultivated and wild D. dumetorum in Nigeria. Results showed that the yam has over a hundred vernacular or local names in 105Nigerian languages or dialects. Though the major traditional processing method for the edible varieties is boiling the freshly harvested tuber to softness, some communities in five South Eastern states of Nigeria (Abia, Imo, Anambra, Enugu and Ebonyi) were found to use traditional detoxifying unit operations to convert the poisonous bitter tubers of the wild variety into storable food material. Varietal differences in African trifoliate yam provide opportunities for its utilization in different food forms. Two localities in the country were found to consider D. dumetorum as a food taboo. Important external morphological characteristics of the yam were also shown in the paper for ease of recognition of this plant resource. Furthermore, the identified local vernacular names and processing methods in this investigation would enhance the diffusion of information on the utilization of wild and cultivated D. dumetorum in Nigeria as traditional food materials.&picture=http://www.aascit.org/aascit/decorators/img/journal/907.jpg)
| [1] | Ukpabi Joseph Ukpabi, National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike, PMB 7006, Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria. |
Little documented information is available on the local names and traditional food processing techniques of the underutilized Dioscorea dumetorum (African trifoliate yam) in Nigeria. An eighteen year (1997-2015) study was therefore used to document the vernacular names and traditional food processing methods of cultivated and wild D. dumetorum in Nigeria. Results showed that the yam has over a hundred vernacular or local names in 105Nigerian languages or dialects. Though the major traditional processing method for the edible varieties is boiling the freshly harvested tuber to softness, some communities in five South Eastern states of Nigeria (Abia, Imo, Anambra, Enugu and Ebonyi) were found to use traditional detoxifying unit operations to convert the poisonous bitter tubers of the wild variety into storable food material. Varietal differences in African trifoliate yam provide opportunities for its utilization in different food forms. Two localities in the country were found to consider D. dumetorum as a food taboo. Important external morphological characteristics of the yam were also shown in the paper for ease of recognition of this plant resource. Furthermore, the identified local vernacular names and processing methods in this investigation would enhance the diffusion of information on the utilization of wild and cultivated D. dumetorum in Nigeria as traditional food materials.
Keywords
Dioscorea dumetorum, Yam, Varieties, Local Names, Food Processing, Food Taboo
Reference
| [01] | Afoakwa, E. O. and Sefa- Dedeh, S. (2001). Chemical composition and quality changes in trifoliate yam (Dioscore dumetorum) tubers after harvest. Food Chem. 75:85-91. |
| [02] | Alozie, Y., Akpanabiatu, M.I., Eyong, E.U, Umoh, I. B. and Alozie, G. (2009). Amino Acid composition of Dioscorea dumetorum varieties. Pakistan Journal of Nutrition. 8 (2): 103-105. |
| [03] | Amani, N. G., Buléon, A., Kamenam, A. and Colonna, P. (2004). Variability in starch physicochemical and functional properties of yam (Dioscorea sp) cultivated in Ivory Coast. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. 84:2085-2096. |
| [04] | Amani, N.G., Dufour, D., Pons, B., Mestres, C and Kameman, A (2001). Morphology and gelatinization kinetics of yam starch granules. International Society of Tropical Root Crops – African Branch Triennial Symposium, IITA, Ibadan, Nigeria, November 10-11, 2001. |
| [05] | Bhattacharjee, R., Melaku, G., Alieu, S., Otoo, E., Dumet, D., Kikuno, H., Lava Kumar, P. and Asiedu, R. (2011). Dioscorea. In: Wild Crop Relatives: Genomic and Breeding Resources, Industrial Crops (Kole, C. ed.). Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg.pp71-76. |
| [06] | Dalziel, J.M. (1955).The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa. Second Reprint. Crown Agents for Overseas Governments and Administrations, London, pp488-493. |
| [07] | Degras, L. (1993). The Yam, A Tropical Root Crop. Macmillan Press, London. |
| [08] | Fasaanu, O.P., Oziegbe, M. and Oyedapo, O.O. (2013). Investigation of activities of alkaloid of trifoliate yam (Dioscoreadumetorum, (Kunth) Pax). Ife Journal of Science. 15(2): 251-262. |
| [09] | Fasidi, I.O. and Bakare, N. O. (1995). Distribution of Food Reserves in Dioscoreadumetorum (Kunth) Pax tuber during sprouting g. Food Chemistry. 52:423-426. |
| [10] | IITA (1995). Yam Research at IITA: 1971-1993. International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan pp4-7. |
| [11] | IPGRI/IITA (1997). Descriptors for Yam. (Dioscoreaspp). International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan/International Plant Genetic Resources Institute, Rome. |
| [12] | Medoua, G.N., Mbome, I.L., Agbor-Egbe, T and Mbofung, C.M.F. (2005). Study of the hard to cook property of stored yam tubers (Dioscorea dumetorum) and some determining biochemical factors. Food Research International. 38(2): 143-149. |
| [13] | Orkwor, G. C. and Ikeorgu, J. G. (2010). Introduction to Yam Production. In: Yam, Cocoyam and Sweet potato Production and Post-Harvest Management (Ukpabi, U. J. and Nwosu, K. I. eds). NRCRI, Umudike, Nigeria.pp3-14. |
| [14] | Owuamanam, C.I., Iwuoha, C.I., Onuegbu, N.C.,Ogueke, C.C. and Nwosu, J.N. (2013). Quality Characteristics of processed flours from trifoliate yam (Dioscorea dumetorum) as influenced by steeping and boiling in varying concentrations of Trona solution over time. American Journal of Food Technology. 8: 162-172. |
| [15] | Palaniswami, M. S. and Peter, K. V. (2008). Tuber and Root Crops. New India Publishing Agency, New Delhi. |
| [16] | Rees, D., Farrell, G. and Orchard, J, (eds.) (2012). Crop Post-Harvest: Science and Technology, Perishables. Wiley-Blackwell, Chichester, U. K. pp392-413. |
| [17] | Sahore, D. A. and Amani, N. G. (2007). Morphological characteristics and crystalline structure of granules of some wild yam species (Dioscorea) from Côte D’ivoire forest zone. Agricultural Journal. 2:441-446. |
| [18] | Schulz, S (2000). Farmer participation in Research and development: the problem census and solving technique. IITA Research Guide No. 57. International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan. |
| [19] | Scott, G.J., Rosegrant, M.W. and Ringler O.C. (2000). Roots and tubers for the 21st Century, Trends, Projections and Policy Options. International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Washington, D.C. |
| [20] | Shajeela, P. S., Mohen, V. R. Louis Jesudas, L. and TresinaSoris, P. (2011). Nutritional and antinutritional evaluation of wild yam (Dioscoreaspp). Tropical and Subtropical Agroeco systems. 14:723—730. |
| [21] | Siadjeu, C., Toukam, G. M. S., Bell, J. M. and Nkwate, S. (2015). Genetic diversity of sweet yam “Dioscorea dumetorum” (Kunth) Pax revealed by morphological traits in two agro-ecological zones of Cameroon. African Journal of Biotechnology. 14:781-793. |
| [22] | Sonibare, M.A., Asiedu, R. and Albach, D.C. (2010). Genetic diversity of Dioscorea dumetorum (Kunth) Pax using Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) and cpDNA. Biochemical Systemic and Ecology. 38 (3): 320-334. |
| [23] | Ukpabi, U.J. (2014). Molecular analysis of Dioscorea dumetorum in South-East Nigeria using random amplified polymorphic DNA markers. American Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology. 1 (2): 77-82. |
| [24] | Ukpabi, U.J. and Oti, E. (2010). Storage, Processing and Utilization of Yam. In: Yam, Cocoyam and Sweet potato Production and Post-Harvest Management (Ukpabi, U. J. and Nwosu, K. I.eds). NRCRI, Umudike, Nigeria.pp81-94. |
| [25] | Yannai, S. (2012). Dictionary of Food Compounds with CD-ROM, Second Edition.CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL. p593. |
