Quality of Dioscoreae Rhizoma (Chinese yam) flour after high-energy electron beam irradiation.

Dioscoreae Rhizoma (Chinese yam) flour serves as an ideal raw material for the food industry and pharmaceutical preparations, with its sterilization and quality preservation being critical for practical utilization. This study investigated the effects of electron beam irradiation (0, 2, 6, 10, and 15 kGy) on microbial population, nutrient composition, bioactive constituents, HPLC fingerprinting, and color in Chinese yam flour. The results demonstrated that a dose of 2 kGy effectively reduced total aerobic microbial count and total yeast and mold count to below the detection limit. The nutrient composition remained stable after irradiation, except for amylose and amylopectin starch: amylose content decreased, while amylopectin content increased with irradiation dose. No significant changes were observed in bioactive components and HPLC fingerprints, indicating that the functional properties of yam flour were well preserved. Although color values increased with dose, the changes were minimal and within an acceptable range for industrial applications. These findings demonstrate that electron beam irradiation effectively sterilizes Chinese yam flour while maintaining its nutritional and functional quality, making it a suitable method for industrial applications.