Popis: |
Corchorus olitarius L leaves either fresh, frozen or dried is an important leafy vegetable in Egypt. It is a leafy summer vegetable that grows in tropical regions. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the nutritional content of the leaves of the Egyptian Jew’s mallow. It was collected from local markets in Cairo, Egypt. Proximate, vitamin and mineral composition analysis were carried out using standard methods of food analysis. Also fresh leaves were subjected to microbiologial investigation. The leaves are nutritious, rich in beta-carotene (40.3), phenolics (15.45 mgGAE/g), total flavonoids (110.56 mgQE/g), minerals, protein (26.8 g/100g), vitamins, fatty acids especially w3 and dietary fiber (37.6%). Mineral analysis (mg/100g) revealed that it contains potassium, Calcium (1400 each). It also contained appreciable concentrations of Na (72.3), P (350), Fe (14.1), Mg (270.3) and Zn (3.7). It was found to be very rich in ω3- fatty acid (47.23%) and it contains also ω9- fatty acid 14.45%. |