Effect of cooking time on some proximate and mineral composition of bulbils flour from yam (Dioscorea bulbifera)

The bulbils of yam (Dioscorea bulbifera) cultivar “dougou-won”, grown in Côte d'Ivoire, are mainly consumed in rural areas during periods of food scarcity. Their consumption requires various cooking methods, including baking. The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of baking time on the levels of physicochemical and mineral parameters in order to determine whether this cooking method is suitable for human consumption. The bulbils used in this study were harvested at physiological maturity in Agou, a village located in southeastern Côte d’Ivoire. After harvesting, the samples were transported to the laboratory where they were processed into three types of flour after being baked in an oven for 10, 20 and 30 minutes respectively. These flours were designated as FF10, FF20 and FF30, corresponding respectively to flours obtained from bulbils yam cooked for 10, 20 and 30 minutes. The physicochemical and mineral contents of these flours were subsequently determined using standard analytical methods. Excepted for proteins, starch, phosphorus, sodium and magnesium, whose levels decreased in the flours, baking after 30 minutes preserved the contents of total carbohydrates, ash, dry matter and potassium, with no significant effect on these components. In contrast, baking significantly increased the levels of lipides, total sugars, calcium and iron. Therefore, baking method appears to be an appropriate cooking method for the consumption of bulbils flour from yam (Dioscorea bulbifera) cultivar “dougou-won”.