Physicochemical and Nutritional Properties of Bitter Melon at Four Maturation Stages

Year 2017, Volume: 1 Issue: 2, 36 - 40, 30.11.2017

Yasin Ozdemır Aysun Ozturk Senem Tufekcı Ozge Keskınel Rena İ. Kostı

Abstract

The purpose of the present
study was to investigate the physicochemical characteristics of bitter melon
fruit at four maturation
stages. Results showed that during the maturation period, ascorbic acid,
carotene, total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity of the bitter
melons were changed between 5.16±0.03-7.26±0.03 mg/g dry
weight, 78.91±0.86-190.28±2.23 μg/g dry weight, 5.62 ±0.2-8.25 ±0.1 mg gallic
acid equivalent/g dry weight and 653.84±20.53-822.81±19.75 mg ascorbic acid equivalent /g dry weight respectively. Moreover, the values of
Ca, Cu, Fe, K and Mg ranged between 172.33±7.2-196.82±5.1, 14.33±0.1-16.32±0.2, 11.38±41.8-16.58±16.3,
1670.38±84.4-1922.67±95.3 and 106.79±16.0-145.41±28.1 mg/100 g dry weight respectively. Results
indicated that maturation stages highly affected nutritional and functional
value of bitter melon.

Keywords

antioxidant activit, nutrient, total phenol

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