Effect Of Processing Conditions On The Content Of Cis/Trans Carotene Isomers As Provitamin A Carotenoids In Korean Sweet Potato Varieties

The present investigation intends to evaluate the changes in the content of cis/trans carotene isomers as provitamin A carotenoids by steaming and roasting processes in the roots of four Korean sweet potato varieties viz. Shinzami, Younwhangmi, Chuwhangmi and Jinhongmi using a liquid chromatography with diode array detection and the negative ion atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometric (LC-DAD-APCI/MS) method and UV spectral pattern library created from several reference data. Except Shinzami, the content of all trans beta-carotenes was found to slightly decreased or remained constant when steamed or roasted. The content of cis alpha-/beta-carotenes was potentially increased about 2-fold or greater when raw or steamed and the content was slightly decreased while roasted. In Chuwhangmi, the content of 13-cis alpha-carotene and all trans alpha-carotenes were rapidly increased when steamed and slightly decreased when roasted. Chuwhangmi exhibited 27.2 mg/100 g DW content of all trans beta-carotenes when roasted and thus, it was considered as a relatively superior cultivar.