Caractéristiques alimentaires des tiges de Dioscorea sp. (Dioscoreaceae): Igname sauvage au Gabon

Dioscorea sp. is a wild yam of the Gabonese forests. It is poorly studied because of its toxic and inedible tubers. The stems of this plant are however heavily consumed by several ethnic groups of Gabonese populations. The present work has been done to study some nutritional characteristics of these organs. The plant material was bought at the market from vendors in Moanda, and analyzed in the laboratory. The physicochemical and biochemical characters were studied using standard food analysis techniques. The results showed that the stems of this plant were rich in water (87.52%), ash (13.22%), and fiber (14.30%). From the biochemical point of view, the results revealed high levels of proteins (24.43%), carbohydrates (44.30%), vitamins C (2.38%) and polyphenols (0.78%). These different physicochemical and biochemical characteristics suggest that wild yam contains many nutritional and medicinal potentialities. It is therefore possible to foresee the domestication of this plant for a wider diet.