Vegetables used by the people of Assam (India) found to be highly nutritious to maintain general balance diet. Nutritional information is used increasingly by public agencies and agricultural industries to promote different traditional fresh product. The work aimed at determining few nutritionally important minerals (calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium) in leafy green vegetables widely consumed in Assam. The objective of the present work was to examine the variability in the mineral content.
Changes in the specific activities of polyphenol oxidase (PPO), peroxidase (POD), and protease and in the relative amounts of flavan-3-ols for eight genetically derived cultivated teas at various stages of leaf maturity and in four succescive seasons were examined. A series of investigations were carried out to study the cross-reactivity of complex polyphenols and PPO-generated orange-yellow theaflavins, as well as of POD oxidized substrates, producing brown so-called thearubigins during fermented tea processing. From the estimation of five major catechins, PPO activities in young shoots, and theaflavin and thearubigin contents of crushed, torn, and curled (CTC) black teas, the superior variety and flavorful flush characteristics were refined. Notable protein hydrolysis by endogenous protease as measured from free amino acids and formation of tannin-protein complex (browning products) was obtained for cultivar character and product quality. Results showed that process optimization with respect to time, temperature, moisture, and pH maximizes PPO-catalyzed desirable theaflavin pigments, whereas POD-mediated chemical reaction produces dull color.
The north-eastern region of India is endowed with a great wealth of plant genetic resources. Out of the vast floral diversity of the region, a large number of indigenous plant species and their wild forms constitute the routine vegetables of the inhabitants, which provide sufficient nutrients and medicinal values for the people. They seem to be quite healthy on average, even though the ethnic tribes are ignorant about the concept of balanced diet and healthcare. This paper describes the mineral (calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium and phosphorus) contents and chemical composition in percentages such as carbohydrate, protein, fat, and so forth, found in 15 traditional vegetable species collected from different parts of North-east India. The results of this study contribute to the knowledge on vitamin contents in these vegetables. The amounts of ascorbic acid found in some species were much higher than the amount present in many conventional vegetables.
Gnetum gnemon is an important leafy vegetable among the tribal people of the state. The leafy vegetables consist a notable amount of proximate constituents as well as the mineral contents. Therefore the present study deals with the investigation of preliminary phytochemical investigation, antioxidant as well as the proximate composition of the leaf of G.gnemon. The study revealed that the leaf methanolic extract and the water extract shows the presence of significant amount of secondary metabolites. The methanol extract was recorded highest DPPH scavenging activity comparable to the standard ascorbic acid. The investigation of proximate and mineral content proves that the leaf of G.gnemon is a good source of nutrients.
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