Effect of different processing methods on the anti-nutritive components of selected indigenous vegetables
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Date
2024
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Asian Food Science Journal
Abstract
Indigenous vegetables are widely utilized due to their high nutritional profiles, easy availability, and
accessibility in rural areas. The consumption of indigenous vegetables is limited by their high
perishability nature which causes high post-harvest losses. Also, the presence of anti-nutritive
components which tend to affect the bioavailability of micronutrients, poses a challenge in availing
their full nutritional potential to consumers. This study aimed to determine the effect of boiling,
fermentation, solar and sun drying (with and without blanching) on the anti-nutritive components of
the leaves of Cassava (Manhot esculenta Crantz), Black jack (Bidens pilosa) and Bitter lettuce
(Launaea cornuta). The raw, dried, boiled and fermented vegetables were evaluated directly after
being subjected to their corresponding treatments. Total oxalate and hydrogen cyanide (HCN) were
analyzed using titrimetric methods and phytate was determined using the UV spectrophotometric
method. From the results, oxalic acid ranged from 180.2 ± 1.56 to 26.3 ± 2.34mg/100g, phytate
ranged from 18.8 ± 1.07 to 0.7 ± 1.11mg/100g and hydrogen cyanide ranged from 357.1 ± 10.56 to
4.1 ± 2.49mg /100g across the treatments. All processing methods significantly (P<0.05) reduced
hydrogen cyanide and oxalic acid content in all vegetable samples. Phytate was significantly
reduced (P<0.05) after boiling and fermentation while, all drying treatments resulted in non-
significant changes in phytate content. In consequence, all processing methods studied proved to
be effective in the reduction of hydrogen cyanide and oxalic acid. Boiling and fermentation showed
their effectiveness in the reduction of phytate. Therefore, it is recommended that these plants
should be eaten boiled or fermented to increase the bioavailability of micronutrients
Description
Asian Food Science Journal Volume 23, Issue 8, Page 80-94, 2024
Keywords
Indigenous vegetables, Boiling, Anti-nutritive components, Blanching, Fermentation, Solar drying, Sun drying, 1
Citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.9734/afsj/2024/v23i8737