Kalu emmanuel okechukwu
Effect of boiling on the anti-oxide potentials of Cocoyam inflorescence was determined. The sample was boiled for 10minutes and sundried for about five days. Unprocessed (fresh) samples served as the control. Samples were analysed for minerals and vitamins using standard analytical methods. Boiling had significant (p<0.05) reduction on antioxidant properties of cocoyam inflorescence. The mineral contents of the fresh sample were 60.70, 0.003 and 0.04 (mg/100g) for Zn, Fe and Cu respectively. Boiled sample showed 6.54, 1.12 and 0.68 (mg/100g) for Zn, Fe and Cu. Pro-vitamin A content of fresh sample was 348.91µg/dl while Vitamin E, B2 and C were 16.82, 12.59 and 27.21 mg/100g, respectively. Boiled samples recorded 11.28, 0.43, 0.59 and 0.09 for pro – vitamin A, vitamin E, B2 and C respectively. The antioxidant properties of cocoyam inflorescence showed 0.663, 0.529 and 0.308 reducing power respectively for fresh, vitamin C (control) and boiled samples. This study had demonstrated that boiling for 10 minutes and sun drying of cocoyam inflorescence is capable of improving the antioxidant properties of cocoyam inflorescence.
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