LEVELS OF ORGANIC AND MINERAL NUTRIENTS IN PUMPKIN FROM UNGUJA NORTH ‘A’ DISTRICT, ZANZIBAR
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Date
2022-12-01
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SUZA
Abstract
The levels of carotenoids (lycopene and β-carotene) and mineral nutrients (K, Mg, Mn, Cu and Fe) in pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima) from Kidoti were determined to assess their variation and nutritive value of different parts of the pumpkin. The determination of the carotenoids in flesh and fibrous strands was carried out by combination of UVspectrophotometer and quantitative methods while the minerals in flesh, fibrous strand, rinds and seeds were determined by using multi-parameter bench photometer. Analysis revealed the presence of both carotenoid lycopene isomers (cis-lycopene and trans lycopene) as well as β-carotene in flesh and fibrous. The levels of lycopene in flesh were slightly dominated by cis-lycopene isomer while fibrous strands showed opposite trend of slight domination of trans-lycopene over the cis-lycopene. However, in both flesh and fibrous part levels of lycopene were higher than β-carotene. Comparison of the two pumpkin parts revealed that fibrous strands are much richer in both lycopene and β carotene than flesh part. The levels of mineral nutrients showed that all analyzed parts of pumpkins were predominated by Fe and K. The two metals contributed more than 90% of the analyzed mineral nutrients. Distribution of the measured metals gave the following trend: Fibrous strands> seed> rinds>flesh. Similar to carotenoids, fibrous strands were found to be much richer in metallic nutrient than the flesh part of the pumpkin which is highly consumed for food. Comparison with other related studies revealed that the levels of carotenoids are within the upper range while those of the metallic nutrients are within the middle range of the levels reported in similar studies conducted elsewhere. Assessment of the nutritional values indicated that, the pumpkins farmed at Kidoti carry sufficient levels of carotenoids and essential metallic nutrients of high nutritive values. These nutrients are extremely important to consumer health by preventing various diseases. Higher levels of iron in all parts of the pumpkins indicate that the fruits can be potentially used as blood supplement to address anemia problem. Among the analyzed parts of pumpkins fibrous strands were found to be of highest nutritional values although the part is not preferably consumed as food by most of the pumpkins users
Description
The determination of the carotenoids in flesh and fibrous strands was carried out by combination of UVspectrophotometer and quantitative methods while the minerals in flesh, fibrous strand,
rinds and seeds were determined by using multi-parameter bench photometer