Journal of Food Research; Vol. 6, No. 5; 2017 ISSN 1927-0887 E-ISSN 1927-0895 Published by Canadian Center of Science and Education 69 An Analysis of the Composition, Health Benefits, and Future Market Potential of the Jerusalem Artichoke in Canada Adil Munim 1 , Michel Rod 1 , Hamed Tavakoli 2 & Farah Hosseinian 2, 3 1 Sprott School of Business, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada 2 Food Science and Nutrition, Department of Chemistry, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada 3 Institute of Biochemistry, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Correspondence: Farah Hosseinian, Food Science and Nutrition, Department of Chemistry, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. E-mail: farah.hosseinian@carleton.ca Received: May 16, 2017 Accepted: May 31, 2017 Online Published: August 21, 2017 doi:10.5539/jfr.v6n5p69 URL: https://doi.org/10.5539/jfr.v6n5p69 Abstract This article presents an overview of the Jerusalem artichoke and its potential uses in consumer food products. Jerusalem artichoke, native to North America, is characterized by its sunflower-like appearance and carbohydrate-rich tubers. For centuries, Jerusalem artichoke tubers were a food source for Aboriginal Canadians and early European settlers. Today, Jerusalem artichoke is used to obtain inulin for addition into food products. Inulin is a polysaccharide that provides several health benefits when consumed. Due to its unique structure of fructose and glucose molecules, inulin is indigestible by the human digestive system. Its benefits are realized when it enters the large intestine and is fermented by microorganisms. This process stimulates prebiotic and dietary fibre effects that improve the growth of beneficial bacteria and promote greater digestive health. Additionally, inulin can act as a sugar or fat substitute in foods, and even facilitates the absorption of minerals in the large intestine. Currently, the use of Jerusalem artichoke inulin in commercial food products is limited. However, trends focusing on healthy living and supporting local industry indicate that Canadian consumers will positively view products made with Canadian-grown Jerusalem artichoke. The advantage that Jerusalem artichoke has over other inulin-rich products is that it can grow on poor land and is also more resistant to extreme weather conditions relative to corn and/or sugar beet; this is significant in the Canadian context. Given these trends and supplementary market data, the potential market size for Jerusalem artichoke-enriched products has been determined. Additionally, prices of currently available inulin-enriched products have been used as guidelines to determine total market potential. Market potential for baked goods, particularly muffins, was found to be $CAD 8,721,788 while market potential for beverages, namely soda, was found to be $CAD 11,707,098. These numbers, though imperfect, indicate that there is strong potential for Jerusalem artichoke-enriched products to be marketed to Canadian consumers. Keywords: Jerusalem artichoke, inulin, market potential 1. Overview of the Jerusalem Artichoke 1.1 History and Plant Specifics The Jerusalem artichoke, or Helianthus tuberosus, is perennial plant native to North America. Despite its name, the Jerusalem artichoke is neither from Jerusalem nor an artichoke. Instead, it is closely related to the sunflower. It is believed that the plant was misnamed by early European settlers for its artichoke-like taste, while „Jerusalem‟ was added as a mistranslation of the Italian term for the plant, „Girasole‟ (Kosaric, Cosentino, Wieczorek, & Duvnjak, 1984). Like the sunflower, the Jerusalem artichoke features thin yellow flowers that bloom on a tall stalk. The plant can grow to a height of eight feet in the wild, while under the right cultivation and care can reach a height of almost 12 feet (Kosaric et al., 1984). The Jerusalem artichoke is visually distinguishable from the sunflower due to its smaller flowers and thinner stalk (Figure 1). Additionally, the Jerusalem artichoke grows from a fibrous root system that bears tubers (Long, Shao, Liu, Liu, & Liu, 2016). Depending on growth conditions, such as moisture levels and soil texture, the tubers can vary significantly in their size, shape, and colour (Kosaric et al., 1984). The tubers also act as nutrient reserves alongside roots to promote healthy growth and reproduction in future seasons, as the plant‟s flowers rarely produce seeds (Swanton & Hamill, 1994).