Effect of Processing on Mixed Vegetables

Background: Tomato, onion and pepper are vegetables that are considered for well-balanced diets since they supply vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, and phytochemicals, they are consumed daily by all classes of population and dried against off-season.

Objective: This study was conducted to determine the effect of Blanching on proximate composition, vitamins and minerals of fresh and dried mixed vegetables.

Methods: The vegetables were cut into slices and mixed in the ratio 5:3:2 (tomatoes, onions and pepper) respectively and subjected to homogenization. The homogenized vegetables were then divided into 3 groups; fresh, blanched and un-blanched. Both blanched and un-blanched were evaporated, pasteurized and dried using solar dryer.

Results: The moisture content of fresh is (94.97±0.06 g%) which is significantly higher at P<0.05 with blanched (20.52 ±0.51 g%) and also with un-blanched (24.16±0.23 g%). The Ash content of fresh is (0.99±0.01 g%) which is significantly lower at P<0.05 with blanched (1.23±0.25 g%) but not significant difference with un-blanched P =0.05 (0.99±0.01g%), The Crude protein content of fresh is (24.04±0.04 g%) which is significantly higher at P<0.05 with blanched (20.20±0.02 g%) and also with un-blanched (22.60±0.25 g%). The fiber contents of fresh is (1.30±0.03 g%) which is not significant P>0.05 with Blanched (1.23±0.02 g%) and un-blanched (1.48±0.06 g%). The mineral content of fresh are (Ca2+ 0.57 ± 0.02 mg/kg, Mg2+ 1.87 ± 0.11mg/kg, Na+ 324.33 ± 4.04 mg/kg, K+ 910.00 ± 10.00 mg/kg and P 2.49±0.29 mg/kg) which are significantly higher at P<0.05 with blanched (Ca2+ 0.31±0.01 mg/kg, Mg2+1.13±0.06 mg/kg, Na+256.25 ± 8.75 mg/kg, K+ 533.33 ± 15.88 mg/kg and P 4.45 ± 0.01 mg/kg) and also with un-blanched (Ca2+0.36 ± 0.01 mg/kg, Mg2+ 1.65 ± 0.01 mg/kg, Na+ 211.83±3.18 mg/kg, K+ 733.33 ± 12.51 mg/kg and P 3.90±0.10 mg/kg). The Vitamin content of fresh are (Vitamin A 16.2±5.00 g/100 g, Vitamin C 2.26 ±0.12 g/100 g and Vitamin E 12.82±3.06 g/100 g) which are significantly higher at P<0.05 with blanched (Vitamin A 1.75 ±0.07 g/100 g, Vitamin C 1.5 ±0.06 g/100 g and Vitamin E 4.32±0.1 5 g/100 g) and also with un-blanched (Vitamin A 1.20±0.05g/100g, Vitamin C 2.02±0.11g/100g and Vitamin E 3.00 ±0.12 g/100 g).

Conclusion: These results indicate that blanching reduces the minerals, proximate and vitamins contents of mixed vegetables than the un-pre-processed samples.