Nutritional Quality and Antioxidant Activity of Leaves of Six Mulberry Genotypes

Abstract

The present study was undertaken to determine the proximate composition, vitamins, minerals, in vitro protein digestibility, in vitro iron bioavailability, antinutritional factors viz. oxalates, phytates, tannins and antioxidant activity viz. DPPH activity in leaves of six genotypes of mulberry. The results revealed that in fresh mulberry leaves, the proximate values ranged from 70.74 to 77.85% for moisture,1.82 to 2.47% for total ash, 6.32 to 8.44% for crude protein, 0.68 to 0.93% for crude fat, 1.94 to 2.88% for crude fibre, 11.15 to 15.55% for total carbohydrates and 77 to 101 Kcal/100 g for physiological energy. In dried mulberry leaves powder, moisture ranged from 5.68 to 7.36%, total ash 7.56 to 8.47%, crude protein 24.03 to 29.83%, crude fat 2.92 to 3.42%, crude fibre 8.76 to 10.90%, total carbohydrates 41.01 to 47.91% and physiological energy 310 to 324 Kcal/100g. The vitamins ascorbic acid and beta carotene were found to range from 241.73 to 324.36 mg/100g and 7.73 to 11.55 mg/100g, respectively in fresh mulberry leaves and 106.04 to 163.90 mg/100g and 18.06 to 40.31 mg/100g, respectively in dried mulberry leaves powder. Among minerals, calcium and iron range from 192.11 to 425.23 mg/100g and 2.95 to 5.44 mg/ 100g, respectively for fresh mulberry leaves and 852 to 1806.67 mg/100g and 13.34 to 19.06 mg/100g, respectively for dried mulberry leaves powder. Among antinutrients oxalates, tannins and phytates ranged from 59.44 to 113.05 mg/100g, 0.48 to 0.70mg/100g and 0.20 to 1.05mg/100g, respectively for fresh mulberry leaves and 254.40 to 386.40 mg/100g, 1.82 to 2.65 mg/100g and 0.9 to 3.70 mg/100g respectively for dried mulberry leaves powder. In vitro protein digestibility and in vitro iron bioavailability ranged from 79.53 to 83.45% and 1.34 to 1.78% respectively for fresh mulberry leaves powder and 76.16 to 77.80% and 1.15 to 1.57%, respectively for dried mulberry leaves powder. The DPPH activity of fresh mulberry leaves ranged from 27.52 to 45.53% whereas in dried mulberry leaves powder it ranged from 30.41 to 50.7%.