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Background: The consumption of foods such as sweet potato and cassava with high levels of carotenoids is a possible solution to reduce vitamin A deficiency. In this study, we evaluated the kinetics of thermal degradation of carotenoids. The content of carotenoids was quantified by high‐performance liquid chromatography, first in fresh material, then in flour and finally in bakery products using mixtures of wheat, sweet potato and cassava. The degree of acceptance of the bakery products by children was also assessed through a sensory acceptance test. Results: The study found that the degradation of carotenoid compounds in sweet potato followed first‐order kinetics and fitted the Arrhenius equation with correlations of R2 > 0.9. The retention rates of all‐trans‐β‐carotene were 77%, 56% and 48% at cooking temperatures of 75, 85 and 95 °C respectively, during a cooking time of 20 min. The concentrations of all‐trans‐β‐carotene, after baking, for bread, cookies and cake were 15, 19 and 14 μg g−1 db, respectively. In a sensory acceptance test carried out in a school, 47.6% of the boys and 79.2% of the girls rated the cookies made from a mixture of cassava, sweet potato and wheat flour with the indicator I like it a lot. Conclusion: The content of carotenoid compounds was reduced by exposure to high temperatures and long cooking times. The combinations of cooking time and temperature which minimized degradation of all‐trans‐β‐carotene occurred at 75 °C–20 min and 95 °C–10 min. All‐trans‐β‐carotene retentions for bread, cookies and cake were 25%, 15% and 11% respectively. The mixture of wheat, sweet potato and cassava flour can be considered in the development of cookies with positive contributions of all‐trans‐β‐carotenes and with a good acceptance by children between 9 and 13 years old. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The objective of this research was to determine the effect of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) supplementation on enteric methane emissions, carbon footprint, and production parameters in dairy cows. Cassava roots and leaves replaced up to 30% of the daily supply of commercial concentrate for two Jersey and Jersey * Holstein breeds. Cassava leaves were characterized by a high crude protein content, with five times more neutral detergent fiber content than cassava root. Average enteric methane emissions per animal ranged from 194 to 234 g/d. The carbon footprint was reduced by replacing 30% of the concentrate with cassava leaves and/or roots. Energy-corrected milk production was 1.15 times higher in Jersey * Holstein animals than in Jersey cows. Therefore, supplementation with cassava leaves and/or roots is a nutritionally and environmentally sustainable strategy to replace external grain concentrates used in these systems. The objective of this research was to determine the effect of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) supplementation on enteric methane (CH4) emissions, carbon footprint, and production parameters in dairy cows. Daily concentrate supply for Jersey and Jersey * Holstein breeds was evaluated in four treatments (T): T1: 100% commercial concentrate; T2: 70% concentrate + 30% cassava leaves; T3: 70% concentrate + 30% cassava roots; and T4: 70% concentrate + 15% cassava leaves + 15% cassava root chips. Measurements of CH4 emissions were performed using the polytunnel technique. Average daily dry matter intake ranged from 7.8 to 8.5 kg dry matter (DM). Cassava leaves were characterized by a high crude protein (CP) content (171 g CP/kg DM), with 5 times more neutral detergent fiber (NDF) content than cassava root (587 vs. 108 g NDF/kg DM). Average enteric CH4 emissions per animal ranged from 194 to 234 g/d (p > 0.05). The carbon footprint was reduced by replacing 30% of the concentrate with cassava leaves and/or roots. Energy-corrected milk production was 1.15 times higher in Jersey * Holstein animals than Jersey cows (47 vs. 55 kg). Therefore, supplementation with cassava leaves and/or roots is a nutritionally and environmentally sustainable strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vegetatively propagated crop (VPC) seed tends to remain true to varietal type but is bulky, often carries disease, and is slow to produce. So VPC seed needs to be handled differently than that of other crops, e.g., it tends to be sourced locally, often must be fresh, and it is less often sold on the market. Hence, a framework was adapted to describe and support interventions in such seed systems. The framework was used with 13 case studies to understand VPC seed systems for roots, tubers, and bananas, including differing roles and sometimes conflicting goals of stakeholders, and to identify potential coordination breakdowns when actors fail to develop a shared understanding and vision. In this article, we review those case studies. The framework is a critical tool to (a) document VPC seed systems and build evidence; (b) diagnose and treat coordination breakdown and (c) guide decision-makers and donors on the design of more sustainable seed system interventions for VPCs. The framework can be used to analyze past interventions and will be useful for planning future VPC seed programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]