Innovative Approaches in the Value Addition of Sweetpotato and Cassava for Mini Agri-businesses in Developing Countries

摘要

Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) and sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas Lam) are important in ensuring nutritional and food security to a large population in the developing countries. Both these crops are cultivated and utilized widely in India. Whilst cassava, besides its food use, is important as an industrial raw material for starch and sago production, sweetpotato is mainly used as human food. Value addition in these crops is necessitated by rapid post-harvest spoilage. In view of the projected increase in global demand for processed products from root crops, research at CTCRI is focused mainly on product diversification and value addition. Value-added food products like semolina, flour-based fried products and fried chips have been developed from cassava. Sweetpotato-based food products include jam, pickles and soft drinks. Cassava silage as cattle feed and fibrous waste-based broiler feed are value-added products for the feed sector. Industrial products for mini-agribusinesses include wafers, gums and liquid adhesives. Immense scope also exists in biotechnological intervention to produce chemicals, enzymes, eco-friendly detergents, etc. The developmental elasticity of cassava and sweetpotato can be enhanced through wider awareness of their potential for starting agri-based units.