For a tastier, more productive, and more resilient starch source, look no further than the humble sweet potato.
Discover JeonmiImagine a sweet potato so dedicated to its purpose that it was bred specifically to create the perfect starch. A variety that not only resists the diseases that threaten farmers' livelihoods but also produces a starch with such unique properties it opens up new possibilities for food science.
This is not a futuristic vision but the reality of 'Jeonmi', a sweet potato cultivar developed in South Korea that is reshaping the starch industry. In a world increasingly focused on sustainable and resilient food sources, Jeonmi stands out as a triumph of agricultural science, offering superior yield, robust resistance, and a starch that behaves in ways that delight food technologists and chefs alike.
Produces 39% more storage roots than leading varieties
Resists Fusarium wilt and nematodes for sustainable farming
Unique gelatinization and retrogradation properties
At its core, the story of Jeonmi is a story about starch.
Starch is a carbohydrate polymer, a long, branching chain of glucose molecules that plants use for energy storage 2 . In sweet potatoes, this starch is packed into storage roots, and its quality and quantity are what determine the crop's industrial value.
Not all starches are created equal. Their functional properties—how they thicken, gel, and react to heat and cold—are critical for food manufacturing. When starch is heated with water, it undergoes gelatinization, a process where the granules swell, absorb water, and disrupt its crystalline structure, leading to increased viscosity and gel-forming capability 9 .
Later, upon cooling, the molecules can reassociate in a process called retrogradation, which often leads to undesirable firming or staling in products like bread 4 .
The goal of breeding a specialized cultivar like Jeonmi is to tailor these natural processes. By selecting for a specific starch structure, scientists can create a sweet potato that delivers a higher yield of a more functional, technologically superior starch.
Starch granules swell and absorb water when heated
Crystalline structure disrupts, increasing viscosity
Molecules reassociate in retrogradation process
Undesirable firming occurs in many starch-based foods
Developed by the Bioenergy Crop Research Center at South Korea's National Institute of Crop Science (NICS), 'Jeonmi' was officially launched in 2009 after a meticulous nine-year breeding program 4 .
Cross between 'Jinhongmi' and experimental line '99IT55-2'
Years of selection and rigorous testing
Released in 2009 with the name meaning "beautiful field"
Cordate (heart-shaped) leaf, green vines, elliptic storage roots with red skin and light yellow flesh
Resistant to Fusarium wilt and nematodes
High number of storage roots per plant, average weight 178g each
25.6% starch content
The true measure of Jeonmi's success was determined through extensive regional yield trials conducted across six different locations in South Korea. Scientists compared its performance directly against 'Yulmi', a leading starch-type sweet potato variety. The results were compelling 4 .
| Parameter | Jeonmi | Advantage |
|---|---|---|
| Average Storage Root Yield | 26.2 ton/ha | 39% higher than Yulmi |
| Starch Yield | 6.8 ton/ha | 26% higher than Yulmi |
| Starch Content | 25.6% | High |
| Number of Roots per Plant (>50g) | 3.0 | Prolific |
| Disease Resistance | Resistant | Resists Fusarium wilt & nematode |
| Property | Jeonmi | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Gelatinization Temp | Lower | Requires less energy to cook and process |
| Retrogradation Speed | Slower | Results in longer shelf life and improved texture |
| Total Sugar Content | 3.59 g/100 g D.W. | Contributes to flavor profile |
Analysis of its starch properties showed why Jeonmi is a game-changer for food science. Its starch has a lower initial gelatinization temperature and, crucially, a slower retrogradation process compared to Yulmi 4 . This means products made with Jeonmi starch can maintain a softer, more palatable texture for longer, directly addressing the staling problem in many starch-based foods.
The development and analysis of a cultivar like Jeonmi rely on a suite of laboratory tools and reagents. Here are some of the essentials used by researchers in the field 5 7 :
Used for qualitative and quantitative starch detection; forms a blue-black complex with starch, allowing visualization of hydrolysis.
A key reagent for measuring reducing sugars released during enzymatic starch hydrolysis, allowing calculation of amylase enzyme activity.
Culture mediums used to grow and maintain amylase-producing microorganisms for enzymatic studies.
A salt used for "salting out" and precipitating proteins and enzymes from a solution, a crucial step in enzyme purification.
An ion-exchange chromatography material used to separate and purify complex mixtures of proteins, such as different enzymes in a crude extract.
The story of 'Jeonmi' is more than just a record of one new crop variety. It represents a powerful shift towards precision agriculture and targeted food science.
By understanding the molecular science of starch and applying it through traditional breeding, scientists have created a crop that benefits everyone in the chain—from the farmer enjoying higher and more reliable yields to the food industry gaining access to a superior functional ingredient, and finally, to the consumer who gets a higher-quality product.
As research continues to advance, with explorations into green production of starch nanoparticles using enzymes 2 and novel immobilized enzyme systems for efficient hydrolysis 8 , the foundational work of creating optimized raw materials like Jeonmi becomes ever more critical.
This humble sweet potato, bred for a purpose, is a brilliant example of how science can work with nature to build a more efficient and sustainable future for our food.
Higher and more reliable yields with disease resistance reducing crop loss
Access to superior functional starch with unique gelatinization properties
Higher-quality products with improved texture and longer shelf life
More sustainable agriculture with reduced need for chemical treatments