Review of knowledge to guide product development and breeding for sweetpotato frying quality in West Africa

This review provides background about sweetpotato in West Africa to identify the current importance and future potential of sweetpotato fried products in the region. We drew on global literature to consider current best practices and health aspects in addition to information from West Africa where frying in the form of large wedges or ‘chunk fries’ is predominant over other forms (i.e. chips (often referred to as crisps in England and the Commonwealth) and ‘French fries’). Chunk fries are produced mostly by female‐run microenterprises selling them as a filling snack to roadside and market customers. Boiling, drying and reconstituting in various foods, pounding and consumption of leaves as a vegetable are also important in the region. Further research will inform the development of a product profile for chunk fried sweetpotato and inform breeding strategies to improve sweetpotato for frying and other uses.