Increasing urbanization in developing countries has resulted in busier lifestyles, accompanied by consumption of fast foods. The consequence is an increased prevalence in noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). Food-based approaches would be cheaper and more sustainable in reducing these NCDs compared to drugs, which may have side effects. Studies have suggested that consuming functional foods could potentially lower NCD risks. Sweetpotato is regarded as a functional food because it contains bioactive compounds. Recently, sweetpotato has gained attention in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), but research has focused on its use in alleviating micronutrient deficiencies such as vitamin A deficiency, particularly the orange-fleshed variety of sweetpotato. Some studies conducted in other parts of the world have investigated sweetpotato as a functional food. There is a need to characterize the sweetpotato varieties in SSA and determine how processing affects their bioactive components. This review highlights some of the studies conducted in various parts of the world on the functionality of sweetpotato, its bioactive compounds, and how these are influenced by processing. In addition, the potential health benefits imparted by sweetpotato are expounded. The knowledge gaps that remain in these studies are also addressed, focusing on how they can direct sweetpotato research in SSA.

Sweetpotato storage roots, peeled and unpeeled, of varying flesh colours (white, cream, yellow, pale orange, deep orange, and purple) were spectrophotometrically evaluated for their bioactive compounds and antioxidant activities. Roots were boiled, steamed, baked, fried, or microwaved. The unpeeled roots had relatively higher (p < 0.001) bioactive compounds and antioxidant activities than the peeled ones. All cooking methods increased phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and tannins in all genotypes. Significant losses of total carotenoids occurred with all cooking methods (ranging from 24.18 to 172.76 µg/g in raw sweetpotatoes vs. 10.06 to 118.17 µg/g in cooked ones; p < 0.001), except the deep-orange-fleshed genotype, in which frying slightly increased carotenoids from 269.81 to 304.74 µg/g. Microwaving retained 69% vitamin C in the cream-fleshed one, the highest among the cooking methods. Anthocyanins decreased with baking and frying in the purple-fleshed one but increased with other methods; microwaving being highest at 13.9% (17.43 mg/g). While the 2,2′-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid antioxidant activity decreased with all cooking techniques in some genotypes, ferricyanide-reducing antioxidant potential increased. The retention of bioactive compounds in sweetpotato storage roots depends on the processing method. Thus, to obtain the most health benefits, consumers should use different cooking methods but retain the peels.

Childhood undernutrition, a public health challenge in sub-Saharan Africa, contributes to stunted growth, weakened immune systems, and increased child mortality. Among micronutrient deficiencies, vitamin A deficiency is the most prevalent, affecting nearly half of preschool-aged children. The orange-fleshed sweetpotato (OFSP), a biofortified crop rich in β-carotene, a provitamin A, is a potential sustainable food-based approach to curb the prevalence of vitamin A deficiency. This narrative review synthesises evidence on vitamin A, phytic acid, aflatoxin content, and viscosity of OFSP-based complementary foods. A comprehensive literature search was conducted across Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar to identify studies (n = 38) published between 1985 and 2025. All articles used for this review were peer-reviewed and included reports on provitamin A or vitamin A, phytate, viscosity, and aflatoxin levels in complementary foods made with OFSP. Studies reporting only agronomic data or published in languages other than English were excluded. The vitamin A levels of the OFSP-based complementary foods met the WHO-recommended adequate intake of 400 μg RE/100 g for infants. OFSP-based complementary foods had lower phytate levels, making their nutrients more readily available for absorption. In addition, they had a thinner consistency, appropriate for infants. OFSP is also a low-risk crop for aflatoxin contamination. Based on the review findings, OFSP-based complementary foods could be better alternatives for infant feeding. Incorporating OFSP into nutrition plans could be key to addressing malnutrition and vitamin A deficiency, helping infants and young children in the region achieve positive health outcomes.

Dioscorea rotundata yam is an economically important staple food and constitutes a significant proportion of the essential carbohydrate requirements of the people in West Africa. Over the years, the tuber crop has witnessed a significant increase in production, partly due to the application of inorganic fertilizer. This study, therefore, investigated the effects of these fertilization and nonfertilization treatments on two D. rotundata varieties, CRI–Pona and TDr15042016. Standard methods were employed in the determination of proximate, functional, pasting, and sensory characteristics of the yam varieties. Inorganic fertilization of the two varieties (CRI–Pona and TDr15042016) increased moisture (69.16% and 70.35%) and ash (1.41% for both varieties) contents, respectively. For the functional properties, bulk density (0.86 mg/mL for both varieties), swelling power (6.35% and 6.86%), and water absorption capacity (109.08 and 202.26) were increased with fertilization, respectively. The paired comparison test for taste showed a significant difference ( p < 0.05) between fertilized and nonfertilized yam variety CRI–Pona but a nonsignificant difference for TDr15042016 variety. From the relative importance index, fertilized TDr15042016 and nonfertilized CRI–Pona were the most liked varieties, showing no significant difference in overall acceptability. A significant preference for fertilized TDr15042016 across multiple attributes in all sensory tests was noted. At the same time, nonfertilized CRI–Pona competed favorably in overall acceptability and the ranking of quality attributes. The desirable quality characteristics associated with inorganic fertilization could be useful for yam value chain actors and serve as a launchpad for further investigations into mechanisms resulting in such changes.