Effect of processing methods on yacon roots health-promoting compounds and related properties

• Published in: Trends in food science & technology 2021-07, Vol.113, p.346-354
• Main Authors: Reis, Felipe Richter, Marques, Caroline, Moraes, Ana Carolina Sales de, Masson, Maria Lucia
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Air drying; Antioxidants; Blanching; Depolymerization; Drying; Enzymes; Fatty acids; Food plants; Fructans; Fructooligosaccharides; Health promotion; Intestine; Inulin; Lipid peroxidation; Lipids; Metabolism; Microorganisms; Parameters; Peroxidation; Phenolics; Phenols; Plant-based foods; Retention; Roots; Salts; Shelf life; Smallanthus sonchifolius; Spray drying
• ISSN: 0924-2244; 1879-3053
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tifs.2021.05.010

Yacon roots contain remarkable amounts of prebiotic fructans and rare antioxidant phenolics. Plant-based foods present a short shelf-life. In the case of yacon, fresh storage causes rapid depolymerization of fructans. Therefore, many attempts to extend yacon roots shelf-life have been made over the last years. This review aims at presenting the effect of processing methods on yacon roots health-promoting compounds, such as fructooligosaccharides, inulin and phenolics. Additionally, yacon-based products health-promoting properties, such as antioxidant enzymes activity, lipid peroxidation inhibition and other metabolic parameters that reflect intestinal health, are presented. An overview of the impact of processing on health-promoting compounds retention/concentration is shown. Yacon-based products with higher values of health-promoting properties are pointed out. Innovations have been incorporated in the main methods used for processing yacon along the years, namely drying and blanching, such as the use of vacuum, foam-mat drying, use of salts and acids in the blanching solution, and combination between blanching and drying. Results show that fructan retention was superior when using hot air drying preceded by blanching with salts and acids. Phenolic content in solids was higher when using spray drying. Phenolic content in liquids was higher when using blanching combined with lactobionic acid addition to the juice. In addition, yacon-based products, especially flours, promote intestinal health by means of affecting metabolic parameters like microbial counts, short-chain fatty acids content, antioxidant enzymes expression and postprandial glycemic response. •Yacon roots contain high amounts of prebiotic inulin-type fructans and rare phenolics.•The best fructan retention is achieved by drying preceded by blanching with salts and acids.•The highest phenolic content in solids is achieved by spray drying.•The highest phenolic content in liquids is achieved by blanching combined with acid addition.•The yacon-based products with best health-promoting properties are flours.