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The study incorporated sweetpotato peels (SPP) in hard red spring wheat (HRSW) bread and investigated its impact on bread quality. Breads were formulated using blanched/dehydrated SPP (BDSPPB) and dehydrated SPP (DSPPB).Proximate composition, dietary fiber, β-carotene, thiamine, loaf volume, color and consumer acceptance of the breads were evaluated. Moisture content was significantly (P<0.05) higher in the BDSPPB than the DSPPB and CTRL bread. The BDSPPB contained two times more total dietary fiber than the CTRL. Soluble fiber in BDSPPB and DSPPB was threefold that of the CTRL bread. SPP may have potential usage in bread-making for space and consumer diets.

Spaceflight introduces the human body to extremes not normally experienced in daily life to supplement the body's natural protections for some of the negative effects; important nutrients must be included in an astronaut's diet. Therefore the objective of this study was to evaluate chemical properties (amylose/amylopectin, dietary fiber, sugars and vitamin C) in two processed and unprocessed hydroponic sweetpotato cultivars. In both cultivars dietary fiber ranged from 0.4% to 3%. Amylose/Amylopectin ratio in both cultivars ranged from 1/99% to 14/86%. Glucose and sucrose were the dominant sugars in both cultivars. Vitamin C was reduced 35-50% when processed.

The objective of the study was to quantify styrene and hexanol generated during the baking of a model sweetpotato bread (SPB) using three different sorbent based tubes. Volatiles were trapped from the ambient air and Gerstel TDU tubes packed with PDMS foam, Tenax and Carbopack B. The average mass of styrene from Tenax absorption tubes was 26.99 μg. The average mass of hexanol desorbed from the Tenax absorbent tubes was 6.2 μg. Considering the low amount of styrene and hexanol emitted from the SPB, it is believe that it is not enough to pose harm to the human body.

The study prepared and characterized sweetpotato peels (SPP) for use as a dietary fiber supplement in space foods. SPP were fresh, dehydrated, blanched/dehydrated, frozen/dehydrated, freeze-dried, and blanched/freeze-dried. Total fiber, β-carotene, water-, oil-holding and swelling capacity, moisture, ash, protein, water activity and vitamin C were measured. Fresh SPP had 7.8% total fiber, 5.2 and 2.6% being dietary (insoluble) and functional (soluble) fibers, respectively. The total fiber content of the dehydrated SPP was 33.7% with roughly 11% functional fiber. β-carotene contents for the SPP were 23,040, 17,280 and 16,860 µg/100 g for blanched/freeze-dried, blanched, freeze-dried SPP, respectively. The fresh peels contained 4,848 µg/100 g β-carotene. The water holding capacity of the blanched/freeze-dried, blanched and dehydrated SPP were 15.6±1.4, 13.9±0.4 and 11.1±0.6 g/g, respectively.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Advanced Life Support (ALS) system has selected the sweetpotato as a candidate crop to be grown on long-term space missions. There is limited research regarding the production of sweetpotato bread. The objectives of this research were to: i) determine the chemical properties (moisture, loaf volume, and texture) of bread supplemented with different levels of sweetpotato flour (SPF); and ii) evaluate the structural properties of bread supplemented with different levels of SPF using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). Bread formulations were supplemented with different levels of SPF, namely: 50% SPF to 50% whole-wheat flour (WWF); 55% SPF to 45% WWF; 60% SPF to 40% WWF; and 65% SPF to 35% WWF. The maximum % strain required to cut the breads into two pieces was used to indicate texture (firmness).

Soybean (Glycine max) is a candidate crop that has been selected to be grown on long-duration planetary missions by the National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA) Advanced Life Support (ALS) Program. The nutritive composition of the soybean is 38% protein, 18% oil (.5% lecithin), 15% soluble carbohydrates (sucrose, stachyose, raffinose, others), 15% insoluble carbohydrates (dietary fiber), and 14% moisture, ash, and other substances. Several reports have indicated the effects of soy-rich foods on the deterrence of estrogen-associated cancers, cardiovascular diseases, decrease of climacteric symptoms, and prevention of osteoporosis. In spite of its nutritive value, and seemingly popularity, direct consumer consumption of soy remains limited.

Sustaining long-duration human exploration and development of space requires ensuring that there is a continuous supply of vital resources and maximum utilization of wastes evolving from human habitation and crop biomass production. The products of waste treatment potentially constitute a valuable source of nutrients and utilizable materials. A clear profile of organics derived from aerobic biodegradation would enable the expansion of the list of potential organic species to be considered when examining the sustaining of long-duration, human space exploration. In laboratory studies, a survey was conducted of the products of aerobic degradation of sweetpotato biomass where Serratia marcescens a soil microbial isolate was used as the biological agent.

A Tuskegee University research team has developed paper from inedible sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas), peanut (Arachis hypogea), and soybean (Glycine max) plant residues for NASA's Advanced Life Support Program (ALS) for sustaining human life in space. The objective was to develop papers that could be used as a media for inocula and characterize their physical and mechanical properties. The tensile fracture behavior, micromorphological analysis, and fracture surface examination of peanut shells, sweetpotato stems, soybean pods, and a combination of sweetpotato stems (60%) / peanut shells (40%) papers were also investigated. The ultimate strength was 2.6 MPa, 9.2 MPa, 7.1 MPa and 6.5 MPa, respectively. All samples performed well as a media inocula.