Effects Of Processing, Preservation And Storage On The Vitamin A Content Of Four Commonly Used Nigerian Green Vegetables — Hibiscus Esculentus, Telfairia Occidentalis, Vernonia Amygdalina, Amaranthus Caudatus

ABSTRACT

Vegetables are sources of vitamin A. However they are affected by various processing and preservation methods. This study was therefore designed to asses the effects of processing, preservation and storage on the vitamin A content of four commonly used vegetables — Teffairia occiedentalis , Amaranthus caudatus, Vernonia amygdallna and Hibiscus esculentus. Data were collected from a hundred randomly selected individuals with structured, validated and pretested questionnaire. Information was collected on their socio-economic status, knowledge, function and source of Vitamin A, availability frequency of consumption of vegetables, methods of preserving fresh vegetables and cooked sauces. Data were also collected from chemical analysis to determine vitamin A content of reheated sauces and frozen sauces, fresh, sundried and indoor dried vegetables and washed vegetable using can price method. Data collected with questionnaire were analyzed using computer SPSS and that collected from chemical analysis were analyzed using Analysis of variance. The results from the chemical analysis showed that Vernonia amygdalina contained high amount of vitamin A both in fresh state and processed state. Processing method (cooking) from the results affected vitamin A content of. these vegetables. Reheating significant affected those vegetables especially on the second day of reheating. Freezing preserved the vitamin A. Sundrying significantly reduced the vitamin A content of there vegetables more than indoor drying and wilting with squeeze washing of bitter leaf especially without oil drastically reduced its vitamin A content at 5% level of significance.