Effect of Cooking Methods on the Content of Functional Components in Yam

Purpose To explore the effect of different cooking methods on the content of functional components in yam, providing a theoretical basis and practical reference to improve the processing technology and nutritional quality of prepared yam dishes.

Methods Three cooking methods including boiling, steaming and microwave heating were used to process yam, and the contents of allantoin, total flavonoids, total amino acids, mucilage protein, diosgenin, polysaccharides, starch, free amino acids and citric acid in cooked yam products were detected and analyzed.

Results Cooking methods significantly affected the contents of functional components in yam. Among them, steaming was the most beneficial way to maintain allantoin, total amino acids, diosgenin, polysaccharides and free amino acids in yam; boiling was conducive to preserving total flavonoids, total amino acids, mucilage protein and starch in yam, but was prone to the loss of allantoin, citric acid and free amino acids; microwave heating was a beneficial way to retain allantoin, citric acid and free amino acids, but easily destroyed other functional components in yam.

Conclusion Steaming is the most suitable cooking method to maintain the nutritional quality of yam and enhance the health fulness of yam products.