Micronutrient Composition, Organoleptic And Nutritional Attributes Of Some Fresh And Dried Green Leafy Vegetables Consumed In Kogi State

ABSTRACT

This work determined the effect of sun and shade drying on the nutrient, antinutrient content and the level of acceptability and palatability of five seasonal green leafy vegetables (African Black Plum- "Uchakoro" Vitex doniana, Spinach- "Aleifo" Arnaratus Spp, Wild lettuce- "yanrin" Ipomoea spp, Bushmallow (Ewedu) "Arira" Corchorus spp and Pumpkin leaf- "ugu" (Te/fairia Occidentalis) were purchased in bulk from local market in Unale-Ibaji Local Government Area, Kogi State, Nigeria. They were washed, cleaned and plucked from the stalk. Each vegetable was treated to mimic traditional method of treatment. Each of the vegetable was sun and shade dried and the fresh served as the control. A portion of each dried vegetable was ijulverized, sieved, packaged in polythene bag and kept in cool dry place until used for various analysis (the proximate, minerals, vitamins, and antinutrient contents). The other portions (sun and shade dried as well as the fresh vegetables) were used for preparation of various soups. These soups were used for organoleptic test using a 5- point hedonic scale. Sun and shade drying drastically reduced moisture content of the vegetables when compared to controls (fresh). The protein content of the sun and shade dried vegetables were significantly