Advances in Food Science and Technology

Advances in Food Science and Technology ISSN: 6732-4215 Vol. 13 (5), pp. 001-006, May, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Impact of Debittering Agent Concentration on Nutrient and Phytochemical Profiles of Lasianthera africana Leaves

Ani, J. C. 1, Inyang, U. E.2* and Udoidem, I.2

1Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria.
2Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Uyo, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria.

Received 11 July, 2024; Accepted 26 October, 2024

White variety of Lasianthera africana leaves were blanched in hot water (control) and in different concentrations (0.25, 0.50, 0,75, 1.00 and 1.25%) of unripe plantain peel ash solution for 3 min at 100°C, cooled, drained, oven dried (50°C) for 36 h. Then, raw leaf and all oven dried samples were analyzed for minerals, vitamins and phytochemicals. The raw leaf contained potassium (78.98±0.78 mg/100 g), calcium (190.25±0.44 mg/100 g), sodium (75.69±0.95 mg/100 g), magnesium (14.68±0.74 mg/100 g), iron (3.96±0.55 mg/100 g), zinc (5.95±0.52 mg/100 g), phosphorus (17.79±0.81 mg/100 g), ascorbic acid (109.64±0.08 mg/100 g), beta-carotene (2.86±0.04 mg/100 g), riboflavin (0.22±0.03 mg/100 g), thiamine (1.01±0.06 mg/100 g), alkaloids (2.67±0.33 g/100 g), flavonoids (0.32±0.03 g/100 g), saponins (3.09±0.04 g/100 g) and tannins (0.28±0.01 g/100 g). Blanching the leaves either in hot water or in different concentrations of unripe plantain peel ash solution led to varying losses of the minerals, vitamins and phytochemicals. Samples blanched in different levels of ash solution retained higher mineral content than hot water blanched samples. Percentage minerals retained increase with increased levels of ash in the blanching solution. Conversely, percentage retention of vitamins and phytochemicals decreased with increase in the levels of ash in the blanching solution. Ash concentration had no significant (p>0.05) effect on the levels of magnesium, zinc, beta-carotene and tannins retained in the blanched samples. For higher retention of vitamins and health benefiting phytochemicals, lower concentration of unripe plantain peel ash solution (0.50% to 0.75%) should be used to debitter L. africana leaf.

Keywords: Lasianthera africana leaf, debittering agent, minerals, vitamins, phytochemicals.