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ABSTRACT
The effect of oven drying at 50°C ± 1°C for 9 hour, 70°C ± 1°C for 5 hour
and freeze drying on retention of chlorophyll, riboflavin, niacin, ascorbic
acid and carotenoids in herbal preparation consisting of 8 medicinal plants
was evaluated. The medicinal plants selected were leaves of Apium
graveolens (saderi), Averrhoa bilimbi (belimbing buluh), Centella asiatica
(pegaga), Mentha arvensis (pudina), Psidium guajava (jambu batu ),
Sauropus androgynous (cekor manis), Solanum nigrum (terung meranti) and
Polygonum minus ( kesum ). Results revealed that both type and conditions
of the drying treatments affected retention of all phytochemicals analysed.
Herbal preparation developed using oven drying was found to have inferior
phytochemicals content compared to that obtained by freeze dryer.
Nevertheless, the herbal preparation developed using all treatments still
retain appreciable amount of phytochemicals studied, especially
carotenoids, ascorbic acid, niacin and riboflavin and thus have potential for
commercial purposes.
INTRODUCTION
attempts to maintain the green colour for plants were obtained from Sri Serdang
producing higher quality medicinal wet market and “herbal unit” of
plants products. The current concept Universiti Putra Malaysia.
and trend of today is towards total health
management, the emphasis being on Drying Treatments
prevention rather than cure and since the
connection between diet and some Three drying methods used are
chronic diseases like cancer and oven drying at 50°C ± 1°C for 9 hour,
cardiovascular diseases are inrefutable, 70°C ± 1°C for 5 hour and freeze drying.
there is a real need for development of Portions of the leaves were dried to a
disease-fighting foods (Mohamed, 1997; final moisture content of below 10% and
Shukla, 1993). In view of these, aim of then ground in an electric grinder.
the study is to evaluate different drying Different types of the dried medicinal
methods in retaining several leaves were then mixed manually
phytochemicals in herbal preparation according to a specified ratio and stored
consisting of 8 medicinal plants. in an airtight amber bottle at
temperature of 4° ± 1 °C, until analysis
MATERIALS AND METHODS were performed.
Drying Treatment
Phytochemicals Fresh (control) Oven drying Oven drying Freeze drying
50 ºC ± 1 ºC, 70 ºC ± 1 ºC,
9 hour 5 hour
a
Chlorophyll 1.230 ± 0.008 0.435 ± 0.013c 0.963 ± 0.036b 0.991 ± 0.010b
Ascorbic Acid 58.200±1.760a 14.200± 1.429d 38.300± 0.942c 45.900± 0.963b
Niacin 0.359 ± 0.008a 0.153 ± 0.003d 0.198 ± 0.003c 0.304 ± 0.003b
Riboflavin 0.400 ± 0.000a 0.191 ± 0.047d 0.196 ± 0.002c 0.200 ± 0.000b
3829.37 2795.44 3063.50 3277.90
Carotenoids
± 58.10a ± 22.5d ± 22.1c ± 22.40b
1
Means ± standard deviation based on three observations, data reported on mg/100g
samples except for carotenoids, data reported on µg/100g samples.
2
Means within a row with different superscripts are significantly different using Duncan’s
Multiple Range Test at P<0.05
for 5 hour and oven drying at 50°C ± attributes of foods is color, especially
1°C for 9 hour. appearance of green in dried herbs
leaves. Therefore, adverse changes in
Effect of different drying treatments colour may alienate potential customer
on phytochemicals content due to suggestion of possibility of poorly
controlled processing and this must be
Chlorophyll prevented or minimized (Ramada et al.,
1988).
In fresh herbal preparation, the
total chlorophyll content was Ascorbic acid
1.230mg/100g and the value ranged
from 0.435 - 0.991mg/100g after The different treatments resulted in
different drying treatments was applied. a significant (p< 0.05) loss in ascorbic
Drying treatment affect the chlorophyll acid contents of the samples (Table 1).
content significantly (p< 0.05) in all As expected, the loss of ascorbic acid
treatments (Table 1). The loss of total was found to be highest in samples dried
chlorophyll was found to be greatest in at 50°C ± 1°C for 9 hour (75.60%),
oven drying at 50°C ± 1°C for 9 hour followed by that of 70°C ± 1°C for 5
(64.63%), followed by oven drying at hour ( 34.19%) and minimum loss in
70°C ± 1°C for 5 hour (21.70%) and freeze drying ( 21.13% ) (Table 2). The
least reduction in freeze drying samples losses of ascorbic acid maybe attributed
(19.43%) (Table 2). This is reflected in to the thermal treatment applied (Yang
the visual observations of the various and Atallah, 1985). In addition,
samples. One of the most pleasing oxidation to diketogulonic acid when
Effect of difference drying methods on medicinal plants 51
samples were exposed to air, light, and freeze drying showed losses of
alkaline conditions and metal ions may riboflavin of 52.25%, 51.00% and
also contribute to the losses encountered 50.00% respectively (Table 2).
(Addo, 1981; Harris, 1975; IFT, 1986) Riboflavin in fresh herbal preparation
were 0.4mg/100g and reduced to 0.20-
Niacin 0.19mg/100g after various drying
treatments. Thermal processing by oven
Niacin content in fresh samples drying and low temperature processing
were 0.369mg/100g and ranged from by freeze drying resulted in significant
0.153 - 0.34mg/100g after different (p<0.05) decrease in riboflavin content
drying treatments were employed. There (Table 1). Among the various drying
were significant (p < 0.05) differences treatments applied, the retention levels
amongst niacin contents of the various was found to be highest in freeze drying
treatments (Table 1). Freeze dried (50.00%) followed by oven drying at
herbal preparation retained the highest 70°C ± 1°C for 5 hour (43.50 - 44.50%)
niacin (83.84-85.52%) followed by oven and lowest in oven drying at 50°C ± 1°C
drying at 70°C ± 1°C for 5 hour (54.32- for 9 hour (36.00-59.50%).
55.99%) and the lowest occurred in oven
drying at 50°C ± 1°C for 9 hour (41.78- Carotenoids
43.45%). Result revealed that herbal
preparation obtained by freeze drying During the three methods of
and oven drying at 70°C for 5 hours still drying, a significant (p<0.05) decrease in
retain appreciable amount of niacin. carotenoid content were observed (Table
1). Carotenoid content of fresh herbal
Riboflavin preparation was 3829.37µg/100g and
decrease due to oven drying at 50°C ±
Analysis of fresh samples and 1°C for 9 hour, 70°C ± 1°C for 5 hour
samples after different drying at 50°C ± and
1°C for 9 hour, 70°C ± 1°C for 5 hour
52 Mahonom H, Azizah AH & Dzulkifly MH
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