Sweetpotato, Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam., is grown internationally to produce a wide range of industrial, food and beverage products. In New Zealand, sweetpotato is grown almost exclusively to produce roots for human consumption. The area planted locally has been steadily increasing, as has household expenditure on fresh sweetpotato roots. In recent years, the market has further expanded to include a greater range of imported and locally manufactured processed sweetpotato products. Exports of fresh roots and processed products have also increased. Sweetpotato is a broadly recognized food in the New Zealand diet. New Zealand's first settlers were of Polynesian origin - the Maori - who introduced sweetpotato which they cooked primarily by steaming in underground ovens. Later, European settlers incorporated sweetpotato into their diet, where it was particularly recognized by its association with the traditional Sunday roast. Modern sweetpotato products incorporate technological advances in marketing, processing, packaging and storage. The market has further expanded by integrating product diversity and innovation in view of the ready availability of home chilling, freezing and cooking appliances. In New Zealand, sweetpotato cultivars are sold in the fresh market by their skin colour - red, gold or orange. Currently, processed sweetpotato products include peeled frozen roots and chips, prepared meals, vegetable mixes, baby foods, salads, pies, croquettes, hash browns, soups, hummus, crisps and relish. While new products are continually being developed, there is a market awareness of traditional sweetpotato associations and the need to design quality products that engage with consumers' lifestyle choices.
