EVALUATION OF ANTIOXIDANT POTENTIAL AND FUNCTIONAL PROPERTIES OF COMPLEMENTARY DISHES USING SELECTED GREEN LEAFY VEGETABLES

Narayanasamy Sangeetha; Vijayakumar. R; Kamashi.S

Volume : V, Issue : III, March - 2016

EVALUATION OF ANTIOXIDANT POTENTIAL AND FUNCTIONAL PROPERTIES OF COMPLEMENTARY DISHES USING SELECTED GREEN LEAFY VEGETABLES

Narayanasamy Sangeetha, Vijayakumar. R, Kamashi. S

Abstract :

Green leafy vegetables can contribute significantly to human nutrition and health, because they contain almost all essential nutrients as well as functional properties. Processing of leafy vegetables in the form of complementary dish could extend their shelf life and also improve its consumption. Five different locally available leafy vegetables were chosen to formulate and evaluate ready to eat complementary dish. Pre–processed (cleaning, washing, cutting and steam blanching 30Sec;95�C) leafy vegetables were developed into chutney by adding other ingredients like green chilli, ginger, tamarind, fenugreek and cumin seed were packed in LDPE pouch and stored in room temperature for further analysis. The phytochemical and antioxidant properties of the developed products were evaluated. Study revealed that among the selected leafy vegetables used in the development of functional complementary dish, highest percentage of inhibition of free radicals was exhibited by functional complementary dish made from Amaranthus tristis. Antioxidant activity of functional complementary dish prepared from Mentha spicata found to be significantly higher than its counter parts. It is concluded that the functional complementary dish obtained from green leafy vegetables with minimal processing attributed to the enrichment of nutrients and other bio–active compounds which are important in the prevention and control of degenerative diseases. Hence the developed product would be recommended as practical food–based strategy to combat malnutrition in India and other developing countries.