Chiang Mai Journal of Science

Baking is among the most favoured methods for preparing sweet potatoes. The Maillard reaction that occurs during the baking process enhances the flavour, rendering the sweet potatoes both delicious and appealing in colour. By investigating and optimizing the baking temperature and time, one can significantly improve both the flavour and quality of sweet potatoes while also understanding how various baking conditions affect their nutritional composition. Experimental results indicate that the ideal conditions for maximizing the edible quality of sweet potatoes are a baking time of 70 min at a temperature of 140 °C. The sweetness value is highest at 140 °C and 70 min respectively, the value is 18.02 and 18.96, while bitterness and astringency values are at their lowest. The bitterness and astringency values are -11.77 and -6.26 at 140 °C, and -2.51 and -4.99 at 70 min. Additionally, the levels of aromatic components, such as linalool and benzaldehyde, which contribute to the sweet aroma, are also highest under these conditions. Sensory scores of sweet potatoes treated under these conditions were significantly higher than other groups, reaching 86 ± 3 out of a total score of 100.