~ 182 ~ The Pharma Innovation Journal 2019; 8(6): 182-191 ISSN (E): 2277- 7695 ISSN (P): 2349-8242 NAAS Rating: 5.03 TPI 2019; 8(6): 182-191 © 2019 TPI www.thepharmajournal.com Received: 14-04-2019 Accepted: 18-05-2019 Namrata Ankush Giri University Department of Chemical Technology (UDCT), Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India BK Sakhale University Department of Chemical Technology (UDCT), Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India Correspondence Namrata Ankush Giri University Department of Chemical Technology (UDCT), Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.): A valuable tropical tuber crop: A review Namrata Ankush Giri and BK Sakhale Abstract Tropical root and tuber crops play vital role in food security, nutrition and climate change adaptation. Root and tuber crops are essential components of diet in many countries. Tropical tuber crops comprise of major and minor (underexploited) plant species. Sweet potato is one of the nutritious, healthy and underutilized tropical tuber crops whose significance as a food is getting less. The importance of sweet potato tubers as a health food is realized now due to its nutritional composition having low glycemic index as an additional health benefits for diabetics. It is used as a new ingredient for development of gluten free products. A number of value added food products are being developed using sweet potato with functional ingredients. Sweet potato tubers could be processed into different primary products such as flour, chips, puree etc and secondary products like biscuits, pasta, noodles etc. The present article discussed about the potential benefits of sweet potato as a miracle and promising food crop. Keywords: Sweet potato, nutrition, glycemic index, processing, pasta, bakery, gluten free Introduction Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) is the sixth important food crop and carbohydrate main source in the world and staple food source for many populations in Africa, Indonesia, Central and South America, Japan, the Caribbean, Polynesia, Hawaii and Papua New Guinea. Alone North Carolina produces 40% of the national supply in the USA (NCDA & CS, 2012) [47] According to FAO (FAO, 2011) [15] reported that sweet potato is important crop of developing countries but less important in some other countries. China is major producer of sweet potato, 80 to 85% of total production in the world followed by remaining countries in Asia and then by Africa and Latin America (Centro Internacional de la Papa, 2009) [7] . It was reported that, sweet potato is one of the most under-exploited food crops although of its nutritional benefits. In past few years, it’s also known for the “food security” or “famine relief” crop particularly in developing countries (Grant, 2003) [25] . Sweet potato contains natural health promoting component having functional value for the food market, such as β-carotene, phenolic acids, anthocyanins, carbohydrates, fibers, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, potassium, zinc, calcium, iron, vitamins A and C and high quality protein (Grace et al. 2014) [24] . It is also a valuable medicinal plant having anti-cancer, antidiabetic, and anti-inflammatory activities. In the face of being a carbohydrate rich food, sweet potato is also reported to have low glycaemic index (<55), suggesting its suitability as a food for diabetic people (Björck et al. 2000) [4] . It is predicted that diabetic population to be increase from 4% in 1995 to 5.4% by 2025, approximately 170% in developing countries particularly India ranks first, followed by China. FAO-WHO Expert Consultation recommends the increased consumption of low glycaemic foods rich in resistant starch, non-starch polysaccharides and oligosaccharides (Goni and Valentin-Gamazo, 2003) [22] . It is reported that food having low glycemic response to be use in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus and in weight management (Gelencsér et al. 2008) [19] . Sweet potato is reported having low GI use as diabetic friendly and the component responsible to this effect have been isolated and studied from white-skinned sweet potatoes. There are different varieties of sweet potato such as pale cream coloured, orange fleshed and purple coloured rich in phenols, β-carotene, anthocyanins etc. The high concentration of stable anthocyanins present in the purple-fleshed sweet potato tubers and leaves could be an excellent alternative to synthetic colour in food products (Truong and Avula, 2010) [68] . This variety is having anthocyanin, phenolics with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities (Grace et al. 2014) [24] . These anthocyanins are not only highly stable but also provide health-related radical-scavenging activity (Oki et al. 2002) [48] ,