The Effect of Different Processing Methods on phytotoxins Constituents in the Fresh Leaves of Ocimum gratissimum (Basil) Obtain from Different Market

Abstract

Leafy vegetables unfortunately contain significant levels of phytotoxins and antnutrients factors that can affect the bioavailability of nutrients to the human body. The effect of processing methods on the content of some phytotoxins in the leaves of Ocimum gratissimum was determined in order to identify the process methods that will significantly reduce the phytotoxins content in the vegetables to the tolerable levels. The processing method used includes: boiling (vegetables leaves were boiled for 3, 5, 8, and 10 minutes), fresh, oven drying and sun drying. Titrimetric method was used to determine oxalate and phytate contents while cyanide and nitrate were determined by colourimetric methods. The results showed that all the processing methods significantly (p>0.05) reduced phytotoxins content in Ocimum gratissimum except that reduction in an oven drying sample was not significant (p>0.05). Boiling methods reduced the phytotoxins significantly (p<0.05) more than sun drying and oven drying. Boiling for 10 minutes best reduced the phytotoxins significantly (p<0.05) more than others boiling time. The decotion from the vegetables shows that plant toxins generally decreased with increase in boiling time. The result concludes that 10 minutes of boiling significantly reduces the concentrations of phytotoxins in Ocimum gratissimum than other processing methods adopted in this study.