ABSTRACT

 This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of scrapping and keeping time on the vitamin and phytochemical composition of carrot. The major raw-materials which is carrot was bought from Orie-Ugba market, Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State, Nigeria. The carrot was prepared into different samples that includes: sample UNS (unscrapped carrot), sample FSC (freshly scrapped carrot), sample SC2 (scraped carrot kept for 24hours) and sample SC4 (scraped kept for 48hours). The vitamins and phytochemical composition of the samples was determined with the use of standard AOAC method. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the mean of the samples and were presented in mean and standard deviation. P-value (p<0.05) is statistically significant and accepted.The result shows that, the B-carotene content ranges from 392.00mg/100g in sample SC4 to 408.33mg/100g in UNS which reveal that, there is significant different (P<0.05), the amount of beta-carotene in the product reduces when scrapped and kept for 24hrs and 48hrs. The unscrapped samples was found significantly higher in vitamin Bi (0.04mg/100g), vitamin B2 (0.02mg/100g), and vitamin B3 (0.24mg/100g) compared to freshly scrapped samples and keeping time samples, respectively. The vitamin C content ranges from 4.20mg/100g in sample SC4, 4.23mg/100g in sample SC2, 5.19mg/100g in sample FSC and 5.24mg/100g in sample UNS which shows that there is no significant difference in the vitamin C content of unscrapped and freshly scrapped samples. The result showed that there is a significantly decrease in the vitamin C contents of the scrapped keeping samples. Also the result reveals that, the alkaloid content in sample UNS and FSC is higher and ranges from 0.63- 0.81mg/100g at a significant level of(P<0.05), saponin content is higher in samples UNS, FSC SC2 and SC4 which ranges from 0.11-0.15 at a significant level of(P<0.05), and the oxalate content ofthe product is lower in sample FSC, SC2 and SC4 which ranges from 0.04-0.05 at the significant level of (P<0.05). The research work shows that ofscrapping and keeping time cause a significant reduction in the B-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin Bcomplex of the samples. In conclusion, carrot should not be scrapped to avoid nutrient loss as most of the essential vitamins in the carrot was compromised as a result of scrapping and keeping time.