Effect of cooking time on the ascorbic acid content of some selected green leafy vegetables.

Diengdoh D F; Dkhar E R; Mukhim T; Nongpiur C L

Volume : IV, Issue : VII, July - 2015

Effect of cooking time on the ascorbic acid content of some selected green leafy vegetables.

Diengdoh D F, Dkhar E R, Mukhim T, Nongpiur C L

Abstract :

Cooking is one factor which mainly affects the amount of ascorbic acid in vegetables. The study was aimed at determining the effect of cooking time on the concentration of ascorbic acid in five commonly consumed green leafy vegetables of Shillong city. The concentration of ascorbic acid in the samples was determined by titrimetric method using 2, 6 dichlorophenol indophenol solution. Cabbage contained the highest concentration of ascorbic acid at 119.02mg/100g while the lowest concentration was observed in Spinach at 20.26mg/100g. The effect of cooking on percentage reduction of ascorbic acid was also investigated. A great percentage of it is lost during boiling of vegetables because it is a water–soluble vitamin. The results also showed that there is a rapid degradation of ascorbic acid on boiling from 5mins to 20mins. Preventive measures should be taken to avoid the loss of this essential vitamin like boiling only for a very short time.