Nutritional and chemical profiling of UK-grown potato bean (Apios americana Medik) reveal its potential for diet biodiversification and revalorisation

[Display omitted] •Apios tubers and co-products are rich sources of dietary protein and fibre.•Apios samples contained all the essential amino acids.•Apios tubers are particularly rich in microelements such as K, Ca, Fe, Zn, and Mn.•Apios peel, leaves and rhizomes are rich sources of anthocyanins: cyanidin, delphinidin.•Apios represents a potential for human and livestock dietary biodiversification. Apios americana Medik, a native American plant has potential as a commercially viable Northern European-grown rootcrop, mainly due to its resistance to extreme climate and nutritional quality. Analysis of A. americana sourced from two UK sites; South (51.4690 °N, 1.1150 °W) and North (55.9661 °N, 3.2063 °W) showed that the tubers were a complete source of amino acids (UPLC-TUV analysis), were rich in protein (15.0 ± 0.0160 and 17.3 ± 0.0779%; Vario Max CN analysis), fibre (total non-starch polysaccharides, 10.4 ± 0.570 and 10.6 ± 0.280%; GC analysis) and micronutrients (calcium, manganese, iron, zinc, molybdenum, potassium and phosphorus; ICP-MS analysis). Apios americana tubers were also rich in bioactive phytochemicals. From the 156 plant metabolites measured using LC-MS/MS analysis, genistein was the major phytophenol in both the Southern- and Northern UK tubers (259 ± 12.2 mg Kg−1 and 356 ± 29.9 mg Kg−1 respectively); the peel having similar phytochemical profiles. The protein and fibre content of the leaves (17.3 ± 0.0434% and 11.7 0.0445%) and rhizomes (18.4 ± 0.0152% and 13.5 ± 0.590%) were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than the tubers. The leaves were also a good source of anthocyanins; delphinidin and cyanidin (840 ± 137 and 3934 ± 176 mg Kg−1respectively). Cultivation of A. americana as a high-protein staple-crop has enormous potential in Northern European countries for human nutrition, diet diversification, and use in livestock diets.