CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Brief background about the study
Yams are major crops in West Africa, the Caribbean – island of the South
Pacific, South East Asia, India and Parta of Brazil. Nigeria alone accounts for
considerable more than half the world’s total production of yam. (Ihekoronye
and Ngoddy, 1985) noted that in many African Communities, yam is recognized
as a prestige food crop. In Nigeria especially in Igbo land, it features
prominently in many traditional festivals. Yam also occupies a place in special
diets for mothers in conferment after child birth. Yam has about ten species that
can be considered domesticated. The tuber is the main economically utilizable
part of the yam. As with other crops, there are considerable variations in
composition, not only between species but also within a single species or even a
single cultivar, according to the cultural, climatic and edaphic factors of the
environment under which it was grown, its maturity at harvest and the length of
time for which it has been stored. Yam like other root crops composed primarily
of carbohydrate on material and the have high water content. The water content
generally is between 70 and 80%; yam may be taken as being two – thirds
water. The carbohydrates consist mainly of starch with only small amounts of
sugar, usually much less than 1%. The main constituent of yam starch is
amylopectin. Amylose occurs as 10 – 20% of the starch and influences the
properties of the starch. Yams are a good source of vitamin C – 27% of the
daily value for fighting infections such as colds and flu and quick wound
healing, anti-aging, strong bones, and healthy immune function. It also provides
good amounts of fibre, potassium, manganese, and metabolic B vitamins.
1.2 Aims and Objectives
To determine the rate of digestion of boiled yam and its breakdown to glucose
using alpha amylase and its effect in diabetic patients.