Dietary fibres are known to provide health benefit and protect against degenerative chronic diseases. Thus, the present study reports the total dietary fibre (TDF) content of sixty-nine selected ethnic and unconventional vegetables and fruits growing in Bangladesh. The samples were collected from different locations of Bangladesh and mixed together to ensure sample representativeness. Dietary fibre assay kit according to the AOAC method was utilized for the analysis of TDF in selected vegetables and fruits. In the ethnic varieties, the TDF content ranged from 1.02 ± 0.16 to 7.16 ± 0.16 g for leafy (LV), 0.18 ± 0.01 to 6.71 ± 0.49 g for non-leafy vegetables (NLV) and 1.21 ± 0.12 to 5.29 ± 0.20 g for fruits per 100 g edible portion (EP). In the unconventional items, it arrayed from 3.08 ± 0.34 g to 7.75 ± 0.13 g for LV and 1.02 ± 0.06 to 8.82 ± 0.40 g for NLV per 100 g EP. Among the analysed samples, the highest and lowest content of TDF was found in Orohordal and Mairabokong, respectively. The unconventional vegetables contained much higher content of TDF than the ethnics and the commonly consumed similar varieties. Data on TDF content in underutilized vegetables and fruits of Bangladesh is sparse. Thus, the finding of this study would fill up the data gap in the existing food composition table of Bangladesh and also would aware the people to take vegetables and fruits rich in fibres.
Background:
Carotenoids are natural plant pigments and precursor of vitamin A, which provide health benefit, protect against degenerative chronic diseases and contribute to immune functions. Utilization and identification of foods with high content of carotenoids received greater attention nowadays.
Objective:
The present study was aimed at evaluating total carotenoids content (TCC) and carotene composition of uncon-ventional leafy vegetables growing in Bangladesh
Methods:
The samples were collected from different locations of Bangladesh and mixed together to ensure sample repre-sentativeness. Acetone–petroleum ether extraction followed by spectrophotometric measurement was utilized for quantifi-cation of TCC. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC- DAD) was used to separate and quantify carotene com-ponents
Results:
The TCC values ranged from 129.38 μg/100 g edible portion (EP) in Helencha to 12803.31 μg/100 g EP in Rok-todrone. The study findings also revealed that the selected plant samples exhibited high content of β-carotene ranging from 120.99 μg/100 g EP in Parul to 11301.16 μg/100 g EP in Roktodrone. It was also observed that most of the vegetables analyzed did not have α-carotene, lycopene, β-cryptoxanthin or it were in so small amount that could not be detected with HPLC
Conclusion:
It can be suggested that regular intake of these vegetables may provide pro-vitamin A. In order to address the vitamin A deficiency and to maintain the biodiversity, analysis of carotenoids composition of these unconventional plant foods is to be initiated and make it available to mass population. It would also fill up the data gap in the existing food composition table of Bangladesh
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