Effect of boiling time on some biochemical parameters of yam specie (Dioscorea alata variety Bètè-Bètè) tubers

The effects of different boiling times (10 min, 20 min, 30 min) on proximate composition of flour from tubers of \"Bètè-bètè\" yam variety (Dioscorea alata) were determined. Mean moisture, starch, total sugar, reducing sugar, crude protein, crude fat and total ash contents of flour from raw tuber \" Bètè-bètè\" were 8.77 ± 0.87 % dw, 74.87 ± 1.18 % dw, 4.27 ± 0.10 % dw, 0.85 ± 0.10 % dw, 8.84 ± 0.20 % dw, 0.33 ± 0.28 % dw and 4.64 ± 1.53 % dw respectively. On comparing the raw and boiled, the results indicated boiling time led to a significant (P<0.05) reduction in starch, crude protein and crude fat compound contents, whereas the moisture, reducing sugars and total sugars contents increased significantly (p<0.05). The total ash content of the flours from yam tuber was not affected significantly (p<0.05). A boiling time of 20 min was recommended for tuber of \"Bètè-bètè\" yam variety (Dioscorea alata).