Proximate composition and functional properties of yeast fermented Agathi Leaf (Sesbania grandiflora) powders

Abstract

Green Leafy Vegetables (GLVs) are fresh-cut sections of edible plants that play an integral rolein the human diet as a source of dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals. GLVs are generally cooked toimprove their quality and acceptability. It found that the cooking conditions and processing methodsaffect the nutritive value of GLVs. Fermentation seems to enhance the nutritional and medicinal value ofthe foods; hence, this study aimed to determine the proximate composition and functional properties ofyeast fermented Agathi leaves (Sesbania grandiflora). Collected Agathi leaves from a local farm werecleaned, washed and separated the leaves from the stalks. The leaves were subjected to various thermalprocessing such as boiling (20min), simmering (10min), steaming (10min) and dried at 60°C for fewhours. The dried leaf powders were dissolved in water at 1:10 ratio then fermented with 3% w/v Bakers’yeast for 20 hours in a shaking water bath. The fermented slurry was dried in a cabinet drier at 60°C for4-5 hours, made into powder and stored in air-tight containers under refrigeration condition until furtheranalysis. Phytochemicals, nutritional and functional properties of the fermented Agathi leaves powderswere analyzed by following standard procedures. Phytochemical screening of the fermented leavespowder showed the presence of Phenols, Steroids, Alkaloids, Glycosides, Saponins, Tannins, Quininesand Flavanoids in the aqueous extracts. Proximate anlaysis revealed that fermented Agathi leaf powdercontains 6.83-8.10% moisture, 35.59-45.90g% crude protein, 9.06-10.31% minerals, and 7.74-9.49g%crude fiber. The functional properties of the fermented leaf powders were 0.56-0.63g/ml for bulkdensity, 2.70-3.95g/g for Water Absorption Capacity (WAC), 0.96-1.20g/g for Oil Absorption Capacity(OAC), 30.99-51.83% for Foaming Capacity (FC) and 51.26-67.73% for Emulsifying Capacity (EC). Amarked difference in the nutrient content and functional properties of fermented and unfermented Agathileaf powders was observed. The findings suggest that fermented Agathi leaf powders are concentratedwith nutrients like protein, minerals, and crude fiber and exhibited good phytochemicals profiles andfunctional properties that can be used to develop functional food products for the malnourished