Nutritional characteristics of flour from Dioscorea comorensistubers collected in the Comoros

Abstract Dioscorea comorensis is a wild plant with edible tubers endemic to the Comoros. This species plays a significant ecological role in local forest ecosystems. As a native yam species, it contributes to biodiversity conservation and provides an important traditional food resource for Comoros rural communities, especially during periods of food scarcity. Its nutritional potential remains largely underexplored despite its longstanding contribution to local diets. This study aims to determine the nutritional characteristics of the flour produced from its tubers. The Dioscorea tubers were harvested in Ouellah and then processed into flour using various methods. Biochemical analyses were performed on the resulting flour to determine its water content and dry matter content, macronutrient composition, crude ash content, mineral profile, energy value, and certain nutritional indices, such as the PRAL index and the calcium/phosphorus (Ca/P) and sodium/potassium (Na/K) ratios. The flour has low moisture content (7.13%) and high dry matter content (92.87%). It contains 6.37% protein, 0.45% lipids, 83.37% carbohydrates, and 7.13% crude ash. Its metabolizable energy is 357.46 kcal/100 g. Essential minerals of collected induvials were in significant amounts: potassium (780.41 mg/100 g), sodium (599.41 mg/100 g), phosphorus (444.17 mg/100 g), calcium (422.70 mg/100 g), copper (332.20 mg/100 g), magnesium (287.71 mg/100 g), iron (252.32 mg/100 g), zinc (223.11 mg/100 g), and manganese (220.73 mg/100 g). Its PRAL index is negative (-9.80 mEq/100 g) and it’s Ca/P (0.95) and Na/K (0.77) ratios are less than 1. These findings show that D. comorensis flour is an interesting source of energy and minerals profile, with appreciable protein content. It has an alkalizing effect and a mineral profile that is beneficial to the body.ts ecological importance, coupled with its high nutritional value, highlights its potential contribution to improving food and nutritional security in the Comoros