Effect of domestic processing on total and extractable calcium and zinc content of bathua (Chenopodium album) and fenugreek (Trigonella foenum graecum) leaves
Sk. Yadav et S. Sehgal, Effect of domestic processing on total and extractable calcium and zinc content of bathua (Chenopodium album) and fenugreek (Trigonella foenum graecum) leaves, PL FOOD HUM, 53(3), 1999, pp. 255-263
Bathua (Chenopodium album) and fenugreek (Trigonella foenum graecum) stored
in polyethylene bags and without packaging for 24 or 48 hours in a refrige
rator at 5 or 30 degrees C in polyethylene bags. The fresh leaves were also
dried (oven and sun); blanched (5, 10 or 15 min) and cooked in an open pan
and a pressure cooker. The processed leaves were analyzed for total and ex
tractable calcium and zinc content. The Ca and Zn content of these leaves v
aried from 970 to 2230 and 10.50 to 12.30 mg/100 g DM and the percentage HC
l-extractability was 80.34 to 83.04 and 82.43 to 83.90, respectively. Non s
ignificant effects of drying and storage were observed on total Ca and Zn c
ontent and HCl-extractability while blanching and cooking resulted in signi
ficant improvement of HCl-extractability of these two minerals. Thus, cooki
ng and blanching are good ways to improve the HCl-extractability of Ca and
Zn.