Development of Biofortified Sweet Potato-Based Snack Foods for School Children in Imo State

Vitamin A deficiency affects millions of children in Nigeria and is associated with increased risk of blindness, immune dysfunction, and child mortality. Orange-fleshed sweet potato, which is biofortified with beta-carotene, offers a food-based approach to addressing this deficiency. This study develops and evaluates biofortified sweet potato-based snack products, specifically chips and extruded sticks, formulated for school children aged 6 to 12 years in Imo State, South East Nigeria. UMUSPO3 orange-fleshed sweet potato was used as the primary ingredient, processed into flour and combined with cowpea flour at a 70:30 ratio for extrusion and with native starch for chips production. Beta-carotene retention during processing was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. Proximate composition, texture, colour, and sensory acceptability were evaluated. Consumer acceptance testing was conducted with 60 school children and 30 teachers at three primary schools in Owerri. Beta-carotene retention was 72 percent for chips and 61 percent for extruded sticks. Sensory acceptability scores were high for both products, with chips receiving higher overall acceptability. The snacks provided 30 to 45 percent of the recommended daily vitamin A allowance per 50g serving. The study draws on recent biofortification and processed snack development literature. Findings are relevant to school feeding programmes, the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme, and food manufacturers targeting nutritional health products. Keywords: orange-fleshed sweet potato, biofortification, beta-carotene, school snacks, Imo State