Yam is one of Nigeria’s staple food and is widely grown all over the country.
Just like other root tubers, yam can get spoilt quickly, if not stored or well preserved.
If you want your yam to last longer at home, you have to first purchase a yam in its healthy stage. It should be without bruises or cuts that might have come from the harvesting or packing stage.
How to preserve yams:
- Ensure proper ventilation of yams. When stored yams do not receive enough air, it can cause yam decay.
- Make sure that you protect yam from direct sunlight and rain.
- Store yams in low temperatures but not overly low temperatures as very low temperatures can damage the yam. The excess cold could cause a breakdown of internal tissues of the yam and then increase the loss of water which would increase the rate Yams get spoilt.
- Freezing
• If you intend to freeze your yam, all you have to do is to cut and slice the yam into pieces, wash it, and put it into a zipper bag.
• Make sure that the quantity of yam in each bag can be exhausted when brought out of the freezer because once it gets defrosted, it may not be good to put it back into the freezer.
• When you want to use your frozen yam, do not wait for it to defrost, use it when it is still in its blocked state to achieve the best result.
