Impression of Instinctive Cookery Methods along with Altered Processing Time on the Potential Antioxidants, Color, Texture, Vitamin C and β-Carotene of Selected Vegetables

Abstract

In the current millennium, consumers are becoming more conscious about their dietary patterns with special concern to nutrient retention during cooking methods. There is a need to assess the most convenient and nutritionally better thermal cooking method which causes the least nutrient abuse. The current study investigated the consequence of three cookery methods viz. conventional boiling, steaming and microwave cooking on the physical parameters, β-carotene, vitamin C, total phenolic contents (TPC), total flavonoid contents (TFC) and antioxidant activity (DPPH%) of the particular vegetables. Results revealed that both cooking methods and length of time exerted positive and negative influence on nutritional composition of vegetables. L*, a* and b* values decreased in all samples. In texture analysis, highest force N (Newton) determined in control and microwave cooked samples followed by steaming and boiled samples. Cooking of vegetable by microwaving had the maximum retention for vitamin C, TPC and DPPH% after control. While, ß-carotene contents increased in microwave cooking than control. Total flavonoid contents were tending to a decreasing trend in all cooking methods but highest contents were retained in boiling cooking. Amongst the three cookery methods adopted, microwave cooking method emerged as the most appropriate method in terms of retention of nutrients in vegetables.