Ropciuc S. et al./Scientific Papers: Animal Science and Biotechnologies, 2014, 47 (2) Study on Exploitation of Jerusalem Artichoke Bulbs in Relation to Chemical Composition Sorina Ropciuc 1,* , Sonia Amariei 1 , Ana Leahu 1 , Cristina Damian 1 , Iuliana Cretescu 2 1 Stefan cel Mare University of Suceava, Romania, Faculty of Food Engineering, 13th University Street, Suceava, Romania 2 Faculty of Animal Science and Biotehnologies, Banat’s University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Calea Aradului street 119, Timisoara, Romania Abstract Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) known in USA also as sunchoke, is a perennial plant, well-adapted to humid and cold climats, nonpretencious to soil and with good yield increase. The bulbs are the eatable part that grows in the ground and that has certain similitudes with the potato. The value of Jerusalem artichoke as a technical and medical vegetable is based on the chemical composition of the plant. The bulbs of the Jerusalem artichoke harvested in autumn have been sensorially and chemically analyzed along the deposition during the cold season. Measurements were made on the light brown variety with a slightly elongated shape. The low mass loss during depostion, the high content of reducing sugar (4.7- 6.12%) and total carbohydrates (94.27-96.18%) enable their successful use in the functional food and for the production of alcohol. Keywords: Jersualem srtichokee, bulbs, sensorial analysis, chemical composition. 1. Introduction Helianthus tuberosus L. or topinambour, apple-to- earth, carrots, pork, Jerusalem artichoke, pear- wintry, is a plant of the Asteraceae family. Known in USA also as sunchoke, is a perennial plant, well-adapted to humid and cold climats, nonpretencious to soil and with good yield increase. The bulbs are the eatable part that grows in the ground and that has certain similitudes with the potato. The value of Jerusalem artichoke as a technical and medical vegetable is based on the chemical composition of the plant. Jerusalem artichoke is a crop plant. From it we use the underground tubers. The artichokes are perennials with a height of 50–200 cm (producing tubers until late in growing season). Stems erect, leaves opposite or alternate proximally, usually * Corresponding author: Sorina Ropciuc sorinaropciuc@yahoo.com alternate distally; petioles 2–8 cm (often ± winged); blades (3-nerved from near bases) lanceolate to ovate, 10–23 × 7–15 cm, margins entire or serrate (flat). Heads 3–15, peduncles 1– 15 cm, involucres hemispheric 8–12 mm. Phyllaries (often dark green, drying nearly black) 22–35 (bases appressed, apices ± spreading, sometimes reflexed in fruit), lanceolate, 8.5–15 × 2–4 mm (subequal), (margins ciliate) apices acuminate, abaxial faces hispidulous or puberulent, gland-dotted. Paleae 8–9 mm, 3- toothed (apices hairy). Ray florets 10–20; laminae 25–40 mm. Disc florets 60+; corollas 6–7 mm, lobes yellow; anthers dark brown or black, appendages dark or yellowish. Cypselae 5–7 mm, glabrous or distally hairy; pappi of 2 aristate scales 1.9–3 mm plus 0–1 deltate scales 0.5–0.8 mm with the set of chromosomes 2n = 102 [1]. The fruit is an achene and generally few are formed [2-4]. Seeds are ×5 mm long × 2 mm wide, flattened wedge shaped (obovat to linear- obovate), and smooth. Their external color is 111