Gendered Boiled Yam Product Profile in Benin

The WP1 Gendered Food Product Profile for boiled yam in Benin reflects the final step (step 5) of an interdisciplinary five-step methodology developed to identify demand for quality characteristics among diverse user groups along the food chain (Forsythe et al., 2022). This methodology includes: step 1) interdisciplinary state of knowledge of the product ; step 2) gendered food mapping, which includes participatory research with men and women in rural communities regarding their product preferences and priorities; step 3) participatory processing diagnosis and quality characteristics ; and step 4) consumer studies in rural and urban areas of the product using different RTB varieties. Results from step 1 and 2 have been published in Laurenda Honfozo, Laurent Adinsi, Alexandre Bouniol, Sounkoura Adetonah, Lora Forsythe, Ulrich Kleih, Joseph D. Hounhouigan, Geneviève Fliedel & Noël H. Akissoe (2021). Boiled yam end-user preferences and implications for trait evaluation. International Journal of Food science and Technology, 56(3), 1447-1457. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijfs.14707. The WP1 Gendered Food Product Profile for boiled yam in Benin has been agreed by a multidisciplinary team based on the evidence collected on preferred quality characteristics at each step and assessed for their potential harm and benefit for women, based on an adapted G+ tool (publication pending by Forsythe et al.). Yam intended to be boiled for consumption should exhibit specific traits for raw, as well as during the cooking process. Important yam quality characteristics of raw tuber for all users (women, men and youth) include smooth size, heavy weight, and tuber shape. The size and shape of the tuber do not directly impact quality of boiled yam product but affect the easiness to peel, the transport cost and adoption level. Major processing characteristics of boiled yam consist of the “easy to peel, no discoloration, cooking time, viscosity of cooking water and nonappearance of spots”. Among these characters, cooking time is firstly ranked as the least important quality criteria gathered during processing. However, after further discussion (with food scientists and gender specialists), and based on qualitative information from WP1, this criterion is selected as important and ranked second following “no discoloration” because it contributes to increase the processing cost by decreasing the profitability of processors. The ready to eat boiled yam should be white/yellowish, crumbly/mealy, sticky, sweet, yam flavored and with aftercooking stability. Basically, market value of raw yam is defined by the size and shape of tuber with smooth skin. These criteria are very important for men involved in yam production. Regarding the women (main processors), the easiness to peel, no discoloration (stability of color), sweet taste and crumbliness are considered as priority traits.贝宁地区煮山药的WP1性别化食品产品特征档案，源自一项用于识别食品链上不同用户群体对产品品质特征需求的跨学科五步研究方法的最终步骤（步骤5），该方法由Forsythe等人于2022年提出。该研究方法包含以下环节：步骤1）产品相关知识的跨学科梳理；步骤2）性别化食品图谱绘制，即与农村社区的男性及女性开展参与式研究，调研其对产品的偏好与优先需求；步骤3）参与式加工诊断与品质特征分析；步骤4）利用不同RTB（根菜、块茎与香蕉类作物）品种，在城乡区域开展消费者调研。 步骤1与步骤2的研究成果已发表于Laurenda Honfozo、Laurent Adinsi、Alexandre Bouniol、Sounkoura Adetonah、Lora Forsythe、Ulrich Kleih、Joseph D. Hounhouigan、Geneviève Fliedel及Noël H. Akissoe（2021）合著的论文《煮山药终端用户偏好及其对性状评价的启示》，刊载于《国际食品科学与技术杂志》（International Journal of Food Science and Technology）第56卷第3期，页码范围1447-1457，DOI：10.1111/ijfs.14707。 贝宁地区煮山药的WP1性别化食品产品特征档案，由多学科团队基于各步骤收集的偏好品质特征证据达成共识，并基于经适配的G+工具（adapted G+ tool）评估了这些特征对女性的潜在利弊，相关成果待Forsythe等人发表。供煮食的山药在生鲜状态及烹饪过程中均需具备特定性状。面向所有用户（女性、男性及青年群体）而言，生鲜山药块茎的重要品质特征包括表皮光滑、单重较大及形状规整。块茎的大小与形状虽不会直接影响煮后山药的品质，但会影响去皮难度、运输成本及推广接受度。 煮山药的主要加工特性包括“易去皮、无褐变、烹饪时长、烹饪液黏度及无斑点”。在上述特征中，烹饪时长最初被列为加工环节最不重要的品质指标。但经与食品科学家及性别研究专家进一步研讨后，结合WP1项目的定性调研信息，该指标被重新认定为重要品质指标，排名仅次于“无褐变”——因其会通过降低加工者的利润率推高加工成本。即食煮山药应具备白/淡黄色泽、粉糯松散的质地、黏弹口感、清甜风味、纯正山药香气及烹饪后稳定性。 总体而言，生鲜山药的市场价值由块茎的大小、形状及表皮光滑度决定。上述标准对从事山药种植的男性群体而言至关重要。而作为主要加工者的女性群体，则将易去皮、无褐变（色泽稳定性）、清甜口感及粉糯质地视为优先选择的性状。