ABSTRACT
This chapter is concerned with the transformations of fresh tubers, from the time the material is delivered to the processing area until the product is utilized by the consumer. It shows that processing must be interfaced with economics, environmental concerns, and human factors in order to realize its purposes. Processing can increase the quantity of food available by decreasing loss. Processing can improve lifestyles by increasing the efficiency of the food delivery system, thus making available more time for commercial enterprises or leisure for those concerned with supplying food. In particular, the implementation of processing in tropical root crop areas holds promise of increasing discretionary use of women’s time, a necessary condition for the advancement of any society. Problems and bottlenecks in small scale processing and storing of root crops are many and varied, depending upon geographical area and conditions.
