Textural character of sweet potato root of Korean cultivars in relation to chemical constituents and their properties.

A relationship between chemical constituents and physicochemical and textural properties of different Korean sweet potato (SP) cultivars were investigated in terms of the hardness of raw and cooked root, alcohol insoluble solid (AIS), starch and amylose content, amylase activities, and pasting properties. Correlation coefficients were analyzed and principal component analysis was performed. The hardness of cooked root was found to correlate with the hardness ratio of cooked/raw SP, AIS content (0.75**), starch content (0.64**), and peak viscosity of SP powder (0.56*). It was discovered that SP cultivars could be classified into mealy (Sincheonmi, Daeyumi, Sinyulmi), intermediate (Dahomi, Sinjami, Geonhwangmi, Yeonjami, Pungwonmi), and waxy (Juhwangmi, Sinhwangmi) types depending on the first principal component (PC1, 68%). Therefore, it was found that the texture types of SP cultivars could be predicted from hardness of cooked root and are in relation to AIS and starch contents, and peak viscosity of raw powder.