Physical and chemical characteristics of 12 local varieties of Banggai Yam (Dioscorea spp.)

Banggai yam is a yam originating from the Banggai Islands and Banggai Laut Districts, Indonesia, and has been the leading food for the population for generations and can be an alternative food to replace rice. This research was conducted to determine the physical characteristics (shape and color of tubers) and chemicals (water, ash, fiber, fat, protein, and carbohydrates) of 12 varieties. Yams are obtained from farmers’ harvests taken at random. Physical characteristics were observed visually, while chemical analysis was analyzed according to AOAC (1990). The shape of the tuber is round, oval, elongated, fingered, and branched. The colors of the bulbs are white, red, yellow, and purple. The lowest average moisture content was found in Solopia (5.32%) and the highest was found in Lendut (7.52%), the lowest ash was found in Sombok (1.76%), and the highest was obtained in Liboko (3.45%). The lowest fat was found in Butun (0.53%), and the highest was found in Doso (2.39%), the lowest fiber was found in Doso (0.80%), and the highest was found in Liboko (1.79%), the lowest protein was found in Doso (4.42%) and the highest was in Lendut (9.27%), the lowest starch was found in Liboko at 80.38%, and the highest was found in Danggang at 86.63%, the lowest amylose was 13.38% in Pusus, and the highest was found in 25.11% in Boan mbol, the lowest amylopectin was 74.89% in the Boan mbol variety, and the highest was 86.62% in the Pusus variety, and the most inadequate glucose was 0.54% in Pusus sago, and the highest was 2.44% in Solopia. Banggai yam has the potential as a source of healthy alternative food and can be developed as a functional food and food diversification.