Effect Of Phytonutrient Content In Fresh And Dried Selected Spices

Abstract

Spices have a profound influence on the course of human civilization. Spices are increasingly revered not only for their culinary properties but also for their potential health benefits. Objective: Spice"derived compounds called phytonutrients are extremely effective in augmenting the body's mechanisms for combating toxins. This study was an attempt to prove spices, commonly used in our daily food has three times greater the amount of phytonutrient content. Method: The phytonutrient contents like Lycopene, Polyphenol, Total carotenes and Vitamin C in selected fresh and dried spices were determined in commonly consuming spices like Pepper, Cloves, Cardamom, Star Anise and Nutmeg grown in Kerala were analysed, by using UV spectrophotometry and calorimetric methods. Results: The Lycopene content was high in fresh pepper, compared with dried of 10.34 and 7.34µg/100g. Fresh Cloves contain 1.24 and further increased in drying of 7.82µg/100g, no values were obtained in Cardamom. A slight increase of Lycopene was noticed in dried Star Anise of 6.33 than fresh of 4.79µg/100g. Fresh Nutmeg contained 0.64µg/100g, it decreased in dried of 0.55µg/100g.Low amount of polyphenol content was present in dried Pepper of 1.27 than in fresh 2.48µg/100g.Dried Cloves contained high polyphenol of 18.3 than in fresh 9.73µg/100g. Cardamom contained 7.06 in fresh and in dried of5.61µg/100g.Nutmeg contained 4.16 in fresh and lost in dried of 0.25µg/100g. Carotene content in fresh Pepper was 533.5 and increased in dried of 551.08µg/100g. Amount of Cloves was 27.84 in fresh and decreased in dried of 20.54µg/100g. No value was recorded in carotene content in Cardamom. Star Anise has 15.34 in fresh and slight increase in dried of 18.34µg/100g. Nutmeg contains 28.36 in fresh and lost in dried of 21.38µg/100g. The Vitamin C content of Pepper was very low of 0.63 in fresh and 0.87mg/100g in dried. Cloves contained Vitamin C of 5.34 in fresh and completely reduced in dried of 0.87mg/100g. Nutmeg contained 13.85 in fresh and decreased to 3.63mg/100g in dried. High amount of Vitamin C was found in Cardamom of 24.65 in fresh and slight decrease of 21.30 in dried. Star Anise contain low amount of 2.14 in fresh and slight loss in dried of 1.92mg/100g.Conclusion: Among the Spices analysed, fresh pepper contain high amount of Lycopene and Total Carotenes. Even though fresh Star Anise and fresh Cardamom contains high amount of polyphenol and Vitamin C, they are not available in market for consumption. Similarly, drying also had a good impact in the phytonutrient content especially Lycopene. The amount of Lycopene gained in ripened dried spices than green one.