Oca (Oxalis tuberosa Mol.): An Andean Tuber With Promising Physicochemical, Technological and Nutritional Properties for Potential Industrial Applications

Oxalis tuberosa Mol., commonly known as oca, is an underutilized Andean tuber with documented potential for starch modification, biofilm production, and functional food development, due to its favorable nutritional, functional, and technological profile. Hence, this review systematically analyzed the physicochemical properties, bioactive compounds, industrial applications, and challenges associated with the oca’s commercial valorization. Eighty peer-reviewed scientific articles indexed in Scopus and Web of Science addressing the nutritional composition, polyphenol and anthocyanin concentrations, prebiotic potential, and applications in baking, extrusion, biodegradable films, and bioplastics were examined. Our findings revealed opportunities in optimizing bioactive compound extraction, chemical starch modification, and functional food development. However, large-scale industrialization was found to be hindered by compositional variability (resistant starch content of 2–10% wet basis), limited commercial cultivation (less than 1% of total tuber production), and antinutritional factors, particularly oxalates (0.8–2.2 g 100 g⁻¹ wet basis). Additionally, several emerging processing technologies such as microencapsulation and pulsed electric fields were found to have potential to enhance the stability and bioavailability of bioactive compounds derived from oca. Nevertheless, the results highlighted the need for further investigations in order to establish the technological and economic feasibility on an industrial scale. Successfully integrating oca into sustainable agri-food systems relies on coordinated strategies to increase production, overcoming technological barriers, and expand consumer acceptance, positioning oca as a competitive, high-value functional ingredient in global markets.