Nutritive and Anti-Nutritive Composition of the Wild (In-Edible) Species of Dioscorea bulbifera (Potato Yam) and Dioscorea dumentorum (Bitter Yam)

The determination of the nutritive and anti-nutritive principles in the uncooked sand cooked wild species of Dioscorea bulifera and Dioscorea dumentorum showed that the wild yams contain all the food nutrients within the reported and acceptable values for root and tuber crops. The presence of alkaloids, oxalates and saponins at high concentrations are responsible for the qualification of the yam species as wild (poisonous) and in-edible. However, the cooking of these yam species reduced these principles to values that may earn the wild yams consideration as food for consumption.