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Effect of Traditional Methods of De-bittering on the Proximate and Vitamin Contents of Fresh and Squeezed-Washed Bitter Leaf

Received: 26 January 2015     Accepted: 6 February 2015     Published: 10 February 2015
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Abstract

Bitter leaf is a leafy vegetable that is widely consumed and cherished in South-Eastern Nigeria. The effect of traditional methods of de-bittering of bitter leaf (Vernonia amygdalina) on the proximate and vitamin contents was studied using potash, palm oil, and salt and boiling process in squeeze-washing at 3 pre-processing methods of squeeze-wash and periods of 3 to 8 minutes. The percentage retention and losses of nutrients increased simultaneously during squeeze-washing. The sample squeezed-washed with palm oil had nutrient retention ranging between 55 to 100% of moisture, ash, crude fibre, fat, vitamin A and vitamin C than other squeeze-washed samples. This could be due to the rigidity of the cells of the sample squeezed-washed with palm oil which did not allow much nutrient to leach into the squeezed leaf water; whereas, the loss of nutrient was practically of the same magnitude (27.3 to 80.5%) in all other samples. The loss of nutrients was observed to be influenced directly by the cause-and-effect of disintegration changes which usually leads to softening due to the severity of the squeeze-washing on the bitter leaf instead of cellular composition or level of nutrient initially present. Palm oil should be used in the squeeze-washing of bitter leaf for better nutrient retention.

Published in International Journal of Nutrition and Food Sciences (Volume 4, Issue 1)
DOI 10.11648/j.ijnfs.20150401.24
Page(s) 103-110
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2015. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Bitter Leaf, Palm Oil, Potash, Salt, Squeeze-Washing

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  • APA Style

    Agomuo Jude Kelechi, Alaka Ignatius Chukwuemeka, Akajiaku Linda Oluchi, Taiwo Mayomi. (2015). Effect of Traditional Methods of De-bittering on the Proximate and Vitamin Contents of Fresh and Squeezed-Washed Bitter Leaf. International Journal of Nutrition and Food Sciences, 4(1), 103-110. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijnfs.20150401.24

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    ACS Style

    Agomuo Jude Kelechi; Alaka Ignatius Chukwuemeka; Akajiaku Linda Oluchi; Taiwo Mayomi. Effect of Traditional Methods of De-bittering on the Proximate and Vitamin Contents of Fresh and Squeezed-Washed Bitter Leaf. Int. J. Nutr. Food Sci. 2015, 4(1), 103-110. doi: 10.11648/j.ijnfs.20150401.24

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    AMA Style

    Agomuo Jude Kelechi, Alaka Ignatius Chukwuemeka, Akajiaku Linda Oluchi, Taiwo Mayomi. Effect of Traditional Methods of De-bittering on the Proximate and Vitamin Contents of Fresh and Squeezed-Washed Bitter Leaf. Int J Nutr Food Sci. 2015;4(1):103-110. doi: 10.11648/j.ijnfs.20150401.24

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijnfs.20150401.24,
      author = {Agomuo Jude Kelechi and Alaka Ignatius Chukwuemeka and Akajiaku Linda Oluchi and Taiwo Mayomi},
      title = {Effect of Traditional Methods of De-bittering on the Proximate and Vitamin Contents of Fresh and Squeezed-Washed Bitter Leaf},
      journal = {International Journal of Nutrition and Food Sciences},
      volume = {4},
      number = {1},
      pages = {103-110},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijnfs.20150401.24},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijnfs.20150401.24},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijnfs.20150401.24},
      abstract = {Bitter leaf is a leafy vegetable that is widely consumed and cherished in South-Eastern Nigeria. The effect of traditional methods of de-bittering of bitter leaf (Vernonia amygdalina) on the proximate and vitamin contents was studied using potash, palm oil, and salt and boiling process in squeeze-washing at 3 pre-processing methods of squeeze-wash and periods of 3 to 8 minutes. The percentage retention and losses of nutrients increased simultaneously during squeeze-washing. The sample squeezed-washed with palm oil had nutrient retention ranging between 55 to 100% of moisture, ash, crude fibre, fat, vitamin A and vitamin C than other squeeze-washed samples. This could be due to the rigidity of the cells of the sample squeezed-washed with palm oil which did not allow much nutrient to leach into the squeezed leaf water; whereas, the loss of nutrient was practically of the same magnitude (27.3 to 80.5%) in all other samples. The loss of nutrients was observed to be influenced directly by the cause-and-effect of disintegration changes which usually leads to softening due to the severity of the squeeze-washing on the bitter leaf instead of cellular composition or level of nutrient initially present. Palm oil should be used in the squeeze-washing of bitter leaf for better nutrient retention.},
     year = {2015}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Effect of Traditional Methods of De-bittering on the Proximate and Vitamin Contents of Fresh and Squeezed-Washed Bitter Leaf
    AU  - Agomuo Jude Kelechi
    AU  - Alaka Ignatius Chukwuemeka
    AU  - Akajiaku Linda Oluchi
    AU  - Taiwo Mayomi
    Y1  - 2015/02/10
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    DO  - 10.11648/j.ijnfs.20150401.24
    T2  - International Journal of Nutrition and Food Sciences
    JF  - International Journal of Nutrition and Food Sciences
    JO  - International Journal of Nutrition and Food Sciences
    SP  - 103
    EP  - 110
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2327-2716
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijnfs.20150401.24
    AB  - Bitter leaf is a leafy vegetable that is widely consumed and cherished in South-Eastern Nigeria. The effect of traditional methods of de-bittering of bitter leaf (Vernonia amygdalina) on the proximate and vitamin contents was studied using potash, palm oil, and salt and boiling process in squeeze-washing at 3 pre-processing methods of squeeze-wash and periods of 3 to 8 minutes. The percentage retention and losses of nutrients increased simultaneously during squeeze-washing. The sample squeezed-washed with palm oil had nutrient retention ranging between 55 to 100% of moisture, ash, crude fibre, fat, vitamin A and vitamin C than other squeeze-washed samples. This could be due to the rigidity of the cells of the sample squeezed-washed with palm oil which did not allow much nutrient to leach into the squeezed leaf water; whereas, the loss of nutrient was practically of the same magnitude (27.3 to 80.5%) in all other samples. The loss of nutrients was observed to be influenced directly by the cause-and-effect of disintegration changes which usually leads to softening due to the severity of the squeeze-washing on the bitter leaf instead of cellular composition or level of nutrient initially present. Palm oil should be used in the squeeze-washing of bitter leaf for better nutrient retention.
    VL  - 4
    IS  - 1
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Department of Food Science and Technology, Federal University Dutsin-ma, Katsina State, Nigeria

  • Department of Food Science and Technology, Ebonyi State University, Ebonyi State, Nigeria

  • Department of Food Science and Technology, Federal University of Technology Owerri, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria

  • Department of Food Science and Technology, Federal University Dutsin-ma, Katsina State, Nigeria

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