[4-1015-A] Postharvest/Food Technology and Process Engineering (1)

[4-1015-A-06] Effect of Electromagnetic Field Pretreatment on Selected Vitamins and Fibre of Sweet Pepper and Fluted Pumpkin Leaf

*Michael Mayokun ODEWOLE¹, Ayoola Patrick OLALUSI², Ajiboye Solomon OYERINDE², Olufunmilayo Sade OMOBA³ (1. Department of Food Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, University of Ilorin, Ilorin(Nigeria), 2. Department of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Technology Akure(Nigeria), 3. Department of Food Science and Technology, Federal University of Technology Akure(Nigeria))

キーワード：Fluted Pumpkin Leaf, Magnetic Field, Nutrients, Electromagnetism, Sweet Pepper, Pretreatment, Blanching

Sweet pepper (SP) and Fluted pumpkin leaf (FPL) are vegetables that contain vitamins and fibre. SP has contents that cure lung cancer, diabetes, cataracts, rheumatism, arthritis, fever, cold, sores and bruises. FPL can improve hematological parameters, has anti-inflammatory and anticholesterolemic properties. Thermal pretreatment (heat addition) of vegetables during processing has the tendency of reducing their qualities. One of the promising non-thermal methods of pretreatment that is novel/emerging/non-conventional is the use of Magnetic Field (MF); however, the method is still grossly underutilized. Therefore, the effect of electromagnetic field types (static, pulse and alternating), magnetic field strength (5–30 mT) and pretreatment time (5-25 min) on the vitamins (C and A) and fibre of SP and FPL were investigated. An existing, but new electromagnetic field pretreatment device was used to conduct the experiment designed with Design Expert software (6.0.6 version). All electromagnetic field pretreated samples, controls (blanched and fresh) were analyzed in for vitamin C, vitamin A and fibre. Results showed that most of the electromagnetic field pretreatment retained/improved the vitamins (C and A) and fibre better than blanching. Vitamin C of SP and FPL are 73 - 85 mg/100g and 60 - 61.50 mg/100g for the electromagnetic field pretreatment and the blanched was 71 and 60 mg/100g for SP and FPL respectively. Vitamin A of SP and FPL were 0.0058 - 0.008 mg/100g and 0.002 mg/100g – 0.003 mg/100g for the electromagnetic field pretreatment, but blanched samples had about 0.001 mg/100g. Electromagnetic field pretreatment caused the fibre of SP and FPL to be between 1.7- 2.6% and 6 - 10% and blanched to be 1.8 and about 7% respectively. Results indicated `that electromagnetic field pretreatment of vegetables is a possible replacement alternative for blanching.