The effect of drying technique on nutrients content of leafy vegetables

Methods for preservation of green leafy vegetables are very important as nutritional point of view. The leafy vegetables such as Spinach, Radish, Chuka, and pods like Cowpea and Gaurare used on large scale as vegetables in Marathwada region. During the present piece efforts have been made to preserve the leafy vegetables to meet the need of common population. The preservation methods were sun drying, oven drying and shade drying. After treatment biochemical analysis was carried out to detect the retention of nutritional factors. Proximate analysis was conducted to determine the dry matter (DM), Acid soluble ash (ASH), Acid insoluble ash (AIA), amount of elements such as Calcium, Phosphorus, Nitrogen and Protein. Secondly, ash content from vegetables is a measure for total amount of minerals present within it, whereas the mineral content is a measure of the amount of specific inorganic components present within vegetables such as Ca, P, and N. Many vegetables crops have been used for medicinal values. Vegetables contribute protein, vitamin, minerals fibers and enzymes to the human diet. Results obtained indicate that, shade drying is more effective method than sun drying and oven drying to retain the nutritional factors.