Effect of Growth Stages and Lactic Acid Fermentation on Anti-Nutrients and Nutritional Attributes of Spinach (Spinacia oleracea)

Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) is a winter-season green, leafy vegetable grown all over the world, belonging to the family Amaranthus, sub-family Chenopodiaceae. Spinach is a low-caloric food and an enormous source of micronutrients, e.g., calcium, folates, zinc, retinol, iron, ascorbic acid and magnesium. Contrarily, it also contains a variety of anti-nutritional factors, e.g., alkaloids, phytates, saponins, oxalates, tannins and many other natural toxicants which may hinder nutrient-absorption. This study was aimed at investigating the effect of fermentation on improving the nutrient-delivering potential of spinach and mitigating its burden of antinutrients and toxicants at three growth stages: the 1st growth stage as baby leaves, the 2nd growth stage at the coarse stage, and the 3rd growth stage at maturation. The results revealed the significant (p < 0.05) effect of fermentation on increasing the protein and fiber content of spinach powder from 2.53 to 3.53% and 19.33 to 22.03%, respectively, and on reducing total carbohydrate content from 52.92 to 40.52%; the effect was consistent in all three growth stages. A significant decline in alkaloids (6.45 to 2.20 mg/100 g), oxalates (0.07 mg/100 g to 0.02 mg/100 g), phytates (1.97 to 0.43 mg/100 g) and glucosinolates (201 to 10.50 µmol/g) was observed as a result of fermentation using Lactiplantibacillus plantarum. Fermentation had no impact on total phenolic content and the antioxidant potential of spinach, as evaluated using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays. This study proposes fermentation as a safer bioprocess for improving the nutrient-delivering potential of spinach, and suggests processed powders made from spinach as a cost-effective complement to existing plant proteins

Effect of Different Techniques on Germination Efficacy and Antioxidant Capacity of Indigenous Legumes of Pakistan

The present study investigated five different strategies for germination, utilizing distinctive substrata like jute bag, separating funnel, muslin cloth, filter paper and aluminum foil followed by evaluation of percent germination, radicle size, weight gain, total phenols and antioxidant activity of eleven indigenous legumes. The results revealed that jute bag displayed the most elevated percent germination in all legumes (84-96) % with the exception of kabuli chick pea, desi chick pea, garbanzo bean and cow pea which demonstrated improved percent germination when filter paper was utilized as substrata. The longest root length (3.1cm) was seen in cow pea when filter paper was used as substrata. It was additionally observed that jute bag demonstrated the highest increment in total phenolic compounds after germination in soy bean i.e. 6.3 mg gallic acid/gram. Among all germinated legumes, cowpea demonstrated the most elevated amount of total antioxidant activity (98.1%) when either filter paper or separating funnel was utilized. The results revealed that every bean requires optimum sprouting technique/conditions inorder to enhance its antioxidant capacity to maximum extent

Effect of Different Techniques on Germination Efficacy and Antioxidant Capacity of Indigenous Legumes of Pakistan

The present study investigated five different strategies for germination, utilizing distinctive substrata like jute bag, separating funnel, muslin cloth, filter paper and aluminum foil followed by evaluation of percent germination, radicle size, weight gain, total phenols and antioxidant activity of eleven indigenous legumes. The results revealed that jute bag displayed the most elevated percent germination in all legumes (84-96) % with the exception of kabuli chick pea, desi chick pea, garbanzo bean and cow pea which demonstrated improved percent germination when filter paper was utilized as substrata. The longest root length (3.1cm) was seen in cow pea when filter paper was used as substrata. It was additionally observed that jute bag demonstrated the highest increment in total phenolic compounds after germination in soy bean i.e. 6.3 mg gallic acid/gram. Among all germinated legumes, cowpea demonstrated the most elevated amount of total antioxidant activity (98.1%) when either filter paper or separating funnel was utilized. The results revealed that every bean requires optimum sprouting technique/conditions inorder to enhance its antioxidant capacity to maximum extent

Effect of Growth Stages and Lactic Acid Fermentation on Anti-Nutrients and Nutritional Attributes of Spinach (<i>Spinacia oleracea</i>)

Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) is a winter-season green, leafy vegetable grown all over the world, belonging to the family Amaranthus, sub-family Chenopodiaceae. Spinach is a low-caloric food and an enormous source of micronutrients, e.g., calcium, folates, zinc, retinol, iron, ascorbic acid and magnesium. Contrarily, it also contains a variety of anti-nutritional factors, e.g., alkaloids, phytates, saponins, oxalates, tannins and many other natural toxicants which may hinder nutrient-absorption. This study was aimed at investigating the effect of fermentation on improving the nutrient-delivering potential of spinach and mitigating its burden of antinutrients and toxicants at three growth stages: the 1st growth stage as baby leaves, the 2nd growth stage at the coarse stage, and the 3rd growth stage at maturation. The results revealed the significant (p Lactiplantibacillus plantarum. Fermentation had no impact on total phenolic content and the antioxidant potential of spinach, as evaluated using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays. This study proposes fermentation as a safer bioprocess for improving the nutrient-delivering potential of spinach, and suggests processed powders made from spinach as a cost-effective complement to existing plant proteins