Assessment of Selected Micronutrients in Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potato is among the main staple food sources and is often eaten boiled, roasted or fried in oil. In this study, the levels of the micronutrients: Fe, Zn and vitamin A in the unpeeled (FUPT) and peeled (FPT) tubers; as well as boiled and roasted samples from 15 cultivars were determined using standard analytical methods. The diverse cultivar collected, were planted and used for this study over two seasons. T-test analysis indicated no significant differences in the levels of the micro-nutrients between the two seasons. The values of Fe, Zn and vitamin A obtained in fresh unpeeled tubers (FUPT) ranged from 0.413 - 0.738, 0.167- 0.356 and 0.475 - 3.162 mg/100 g fresh weight, respectively; while those obtained in the peeled fresh tubers (FPT) ranged from 0.277 - 0. 628, 0.131 - 0.256 and 0.241 - 2.835 mg/100 g, respectively. In the unpeeled boiled tubers, the concentration of Fe, Zn and vitamin A ranged from 0.247 - 0.545 , 0.132 - 0.193 and 0.333 - 2.434 mg/100 g sample weight, respectively, while the corresponding values obtained in the unpeeled roasted tubers were 0.357 - 0.542, 0.103 - 0.268, and 0.316 - 2.124 mg/100 g, respectively..