Abstract

Vitamin C is very important for human nutrition and any method that reduces its degradation in foods like vegetables needs to be advocated and utilized. In this current study, the effect of using lemon juice and sun drying on vitamin C retention of steam and water blanched Amaranthus hybridus, Bidens pilosa and Cleome gynandra indigenous vegetables stored for a period of six weeks was investigated. Results showed that the amount of vitamin C retained in lemon juice treated samples was higher than in untreated samples and steam blanching was found to be better in retaining vitamin C than water blanching. The mean vitamin C retention percentages soon after blanching were 80 and 40%, respectively for the lemon juice steam and water blanched vegetables in all the vegetables while for control steam blanched vegetables, vitamin C retention ranged from 60-67.8% as compared to a mean retention of 20% for the control water blanched vegetables. Furthermore, results showed that when vitamin C retention after six weeks storage period was compared for each individual indigenous vegetable, the values were higher in lemon juice treated blanched vegetables regardless of blanching type as compared to the control samples. The use of lemon juice in vegetable preservation is strongly encouraged.

Key words: Vitamin C, lemon juice, steam blanching, water blanching, indigenous vegetables.