Effect of household processing on nutritional and antinutritional composition, mineral-mineral ratios, and functional properties of Colocasia leaves.

Colocasia leaves are high in nutrients and other phytochemicals but their utilization remains limited due to a lack of awareness. Higher content of anti-nutritional factors like oxalic and tannic acid in Colocasia leaves limit nutrient availability. In the present study, the effect of four household procedures viz. soaking (8-12 h), microwave heating (2-6 min), cooking (30-60 min), and blanching (1-3 min), followed by sun drying, was studied on the nutritional, antinutritional and functional properties of Colocasia leaves. A significant increase in crude fibre (25.7%-29.65%), and protein (4.33-15.6%) content was found in all the treatments except for the microwave treatment. A significant decrease in fat (5.7-31.4%), ash (20.34-28.22%), oxalic acid (27.07-35.32%), and tannic acid (up to 96%) was also found in various treatments. Among the minerals, a significant increase was reported for calcium (up to 16.38%), and iron (up to 5.9%). The highest mineral retention was found in soaked samples. The soaked and cooked samples also had a higher Ca: Mg ratio. A significant change in functional properties was also found. FTIR peaks suggested no significant qualitative effect occurred on phytochemical or physicochemical characteristics. Cluster analysis showed that cooking was second to soaking in terms of overall quality which were most comparable to the control. Cooking efficiently reduced the antinutritional factors, however, a significant loss of nutrients and functional properties was also observed. Therefore, the soaking of Colocasia leaves for 8-10 h is recommended as the best practice before their food applications.

Major Phytochemicals: Recent Advances in Health Benefits and Extraction Method.

Recent scientific studies have established a relationship between the consumption of phytochemicals such as carotenoids, polyphenols, isoprenoids, phytosterols, saponins, dietary fibers, polysaccharides, etc., with health benefits such as prevention of diabetes, obesity, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, etc. This has led to the popularization of phytochemicals. Nowadays, foods containing phytochemicals as a constituent (functional foods) and the concentrated form of phytochemicals (nutraceuticals) are used as a preventive measure or cure for many diseases. The health benefits of these phytochemicals depend on their purity and structural stability. The yield, purity, and structural stability of extracted phytochemicals depend on the matrix in which the phytochemical is present, the method of extraction, the solvent used, the temperature, and the time of extraction.

Effect of Rose Syrup and Marigold Powder on the Physicochemical, Phytochemical, Sensorial and Storage Properties of Nutricereals and Milk-Based Functional Beverage.

ABSTACTAim: The present study aimed to investigate the effect of rose sirup and marigold powder on the physicochemical properties, bioactive potential, sensory acceptability and storage life of the nutricereals (finger millet, oats) and milk-based functional beverage (FB).Method: Preliminary trials were performed using different levels of rose sirup (8-14%) and marigold powder (0.40-0.55%) in the pre-standardized FB. The most acceptable concentration was selected on the basis of sensory analysis. Selected beverages were then subjected to the physicochemical analysis, assessment of bioactive compounds and FTIR characterization. The effect of flower extracts on the mineral content and storage life (4 ± 1 °C) of beverages was also studied. The significant difference in treatments was determined using Duncan's multiple range test, SPSS 25.0.Results: The best acceptable concentrations for rose sirup and marigold powder were 10% and 0.50%, respectively. A significant (p ≤ 0.05) decrease in the dietary fiber (6.50%) and ß-glucan (3.95%) content was observed on the addition of rose sirup. Significant (p ≤ 0.05) increase in the total phenols (119.18-145.23%), ß-carotene (0.37%), anthocyanins (78.82-230.58%) and antioxidant activity (4.98-7.17%) was observed on the addition of flower extracts. Strong peaks were observed in the regions of 3600-3200, 3000-2800 and 1700-1600 cm - 1 on FTIR characterization. A significant decrease in the mineral content of FB was also found on the addition of rose sirup. Rose flavored beverage had the highest overall acceptability (7.83 ± 0.23) and storage stability (50 days at refrigerated storage) among the prepared beverages.Conclusion: The addition of flower extracts significantly improved the acceptability of the prepared beverages. It not only improved the phytochemical profile but also had a substantial impact on storage stability.

Potential of Colocasia leaves in human nutrition: Review on nutritional and phytochemical properties.

Colocasia esculenta leaves possess vital nutritive and nonnutritive components in significant amounts, but are underutilized, and lesser explored. The chemical composition varies significantly depending upon climatic conditions and other agronomical factors of the location of cultivation and variety. Micronutrients, viz. iron (3.4-11.7 mg 100 g-1 ), copper (0.29-0.8 mg 100 g-1 ), magnesium (170-752 mg 100 g-1 ), potassium (0.4-2.4 g 100 g-1 ), and zinc (0.6-4.2 mg 100 g-1 ) are present in high amounts. The ratio of sodium to potassium (1:40) in the leaves add specifically to the antihypertensive properties. Preclinical and clinical studies provide evidence of its antidiabetic, antihemorrhagic, neuropharmacological properties, and as a remedy for stomach and liver ailments. Assessment of phytochemical compounds like chlorogenic acid, anthraquinones, cinnamic acid derivatives, and other phenolics validates these biological properties. The major limiting factor of this plant is oxalate that can be suppressed through food processing strategies. Colocasia leaves are promising green leafy vegetables with nutritional and clinical potential. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Colocasia leaves have demonstrated the ability of antidiabetic, antihypertensive, immunoprotective, neuroprotective, and anticarcinogenic activities. The detailed assessment of phytochemical compounds present in various extracts of the leaves shows the presence of active chemical compounds like anthraquinones, apigenin, catechins, cinnamic acid derivatives, vitexin, and isovitexin which are possibly responsible for the exhibited biological properties. Colocasia leaves are rich sources of micronutrients; however, the presence of oxalates can prohibit proper utilization of these nutrients. Various food processing strategies like soaking, cooking, and so on can significantly reduce the antinutritional content and make these nutrients available for utilization. Documentation of traditional uses and food products from Colocasia leaves show that these leaves have immense potential in the functional food product as well as drug development.