Changes in polyphenolic contents and antioxidant potential of the leafy vegetable, talinum portulacifolium by moist heat cooking

Abstract

In general, most of green leafy vegetables undergo a cooking process prior to consumption. This present study was carried out to investigate the effect of moist heat cooking treatments of the green leafy vegetable, Talinum portulacifolium on the total phenolic content and antioxidant potential using phosphomolybdenum reduction, DPPH, and ABTS radical scavenging activities. The total phenol and tannin contents were found maximum in the raw samples of the plant 78.25 and 33.84 mg GAE/g extract, respectively. The boiling and frying treatments significantly reduced the total phenolic and tannin contents in T. portulacifolium. In the antioxidant study, the raw sample of ethanol extract exhibited a strong antioxidant potential based on ABTS, DPPH, radical scavenging and phosphomolybdenum reduction assays. Further, the raw and processed powders were subjected to FTIR analysis and the functional groups of the components were separated based on their peaks. It could be concluded that boiling and frying treatments have a determining effect on the levels of phenolic content and antioxidant capacities of vegetables.