EFFECT OF LONG-TERM STORAGE OF PROCESSED NIGERIA-GROWN EDIBLE LEAFY GREEN VEGETABLES ON VITAMIN-C CONTENT

Fresh edible green leaves from Celosia argentea, Amaranthus hybridus, Solanum nodiflorum, and Corchorus olitorius were studied. They had high contents of ascorbic acid. About 47-58% and 25-33% of the ascorbic acid contents were lost in the leaves by water blanch and steam methods, respectively. In the blanched but undehydrated leaves, the ascorbic acid content of the product was deleteriously affected under ambient storage. A loss of about 54-64% was observed after a 6-month storage period. The steam-blanched and dehydrated vegetable leaves kept for 6 months without much loss in ascorbic acid content. Sodium sulfite/sodium metabisulfite significantly (P < 0.05) enhanced the retention of ascorbic acid in the processed leaves.