CHEMICAL EVALUATION OF TARO (Colocasia esculenta L. Schott) CULTIVATED IN THE FLOOD PLAINS OF MATO GROSSO DO SUL PANTANAL REGION (BRAZIL)

Abstract

Taro tuber root samples (Colocasia esculenta L. Schott) were analyzed aiming to establish and evaluate results of chemical composition and mineral nutrient contents, among different varieties (cem/um, branco, chinês, japonês and macaquinho). The studied varieties were experimentally cultivated in “Base de Estudos do Pantanal”, UFMS, Brazil. The moisture content ranged from 62.78 (chinês) to 78.92% w/w (macaquinho). The chinês and the japonês varieties showed equivalent protein content (2.86 and 3.02% w/w, respectively) and these values were higher than others were. All samples indicated poor lipid content (0.21 to 0.23% w/w). In relation to the fiber fraction, the results differed among the varieties, from 1.31 to 2.93% w/w. The japonês samples presented the highest ash content (1.15% w/w) indicating a rich content in macronutrient minerals (218.35 mg/100 g of sample). The variety macaquinho presented the highest content of micronutrient minerals (24.13 ppm). The concentration of starch found in the analyzed cultivars ranged from 14.46 to 30.30% w/w, finding the highest value in the chinês variety. The evaluation of results of the handled analytical determinations showed up that the variety chinês is the best energy source, indicating that this cultivar could have an interesting industrial profitability, in relation to the other varieties.