ABSTRACT

This study evaluated the nutrient composition and organoleptic properties of raw dried and fresh edible vegetable (bitter leaves, okra, utazi and scent leaves) common in South East Nigeria. The colour, taste, texture and overall acceptability of the dried and fresh vegetable samples were tested using the organoleptic attribute questionnaire and acceptability evaluation questionnaire. Data from the test re-test method was analysed using Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Coefficient. The reliability was established at 0.91. Proximate analysis, mineral and vitamin composition of the vegetable samples were carried out according to AOAC (2006) procedure and methods respectively. The data generated were subjected to statistical analysis of variance (ANOVA) mean were used to present the results Among the dried vegetable samples, dried bitter leaves obtained highest mean value of moisture content, ash and crude fibre, dried okro yielded the highest mean value of fat and crude protein and dried utazi obtained the highest carbohydrate. For the fresh samples, utazi yielded the highest mean value in moisture content and ash content, bitter leaves got the highest crude fibre, Okro pod, obtained the highest mean value of fats, crude protein and carbohydrates. Comparing both dried and fresh samples, highest percentage of fat content and protein content were gotten from dry okro pods. Drying in okro appeared to reduce carbohydrate from when fresh to when dry. Dried bitter leaves obtained the highest mean value for fiber while fresh okro had the least value. Dried bitter leaves yielded the highest Ash content. For fresh samples, utazi leaves obtained the highest moisture value while okro had the least moisture value. Comparing the overall acceptance of both dried and fresh analysis of the prepared soup samples, the results showed that fresh bitter leaf samples had relatively slightly higher mean value than the dried counterpart.  Dried okro vegetable samples had higher mean value than the fresh counterparts respectively. Similarly, fresh utazi and scent leaves samples obtained higher mean value than their dried ones for overall acceptance. In terms of ranking based on the proximate compositions considered, dry okro pods appear to have the highest rating followed closely by dried bitter leaves. Fresh scent leaves yielded highest vitamin A, B1, B 2, and B3 mean values, while Na, Ca, Mg, and P content increases in dry vegetable samples compared to fresh vegetable samples, hence, dried vegetables still retains reasonable nutrient value. Sensory evaluation result showed that the various studied samples were generally accepted by panelists. For a maximum vitamin intake both fresh and dried vegetables could be recommended. Therefore, farmers, agriculturist, elderly, pregnant mothers, invalids and convalescence and general public’s should be encouraged to cultivate and dry okro pods, bitter leaves utazi and scent leaves in order to make it available all the year round to reduce post-harvest loses since they are highly perishable. From the entire results reviewed, sensory evaluation showed that although fresh vegetable samples obtained higher mean values than dried vegetable samples, there was no much difference in taste, colour, texture and acceptability values by the panelists.