Brazil: research develops colored and biofortified sweet potatoes

Three new sweet potato cultivars, developed by researchers at Embrapa Hortaliças (DF), promise to add more colors and nutrients to the diet of Brazilians. Instead of the pink rind and cream-colored pulp of the varieties traditionally planted and consumed in the country, the new cultivars stand out for their purple and orange tones, which are indicative of the high content of bioactive compounds beneficial to health, such as anthocyanins and beta-carotene, respectively. Two of the new cultivars have purple skin and pulp and differ in terms of destination: BRS Cotinga sweet potato is recommended for industrial processing in the form of chips, flour, starch syrup and other by-products, and sweet potato BRS Anembé for the table market, with baked goods such as purees, homemade jams & breads. The sweet potato CIP BRS Nuti, developed in partnership with the Centro Internacional de la Papa (CIP) in Peru, has an orange peel and pulp and has dual aptitude, being able to serve both ...