Effects of different drying methods on the nutritional and quality attributes of baobab leaves (Adansonia digitata).

摘要

Baobab (Adansonia digitata L.) belongs to the Bombaceae family and is known generally as the African baobab. Baobab leaves are widely used, cooked as spinach, and frequently dried often powdered and used for sauces over porridges, thick gruels of grains or boiled rice. This study is investigating the effect of different common drying methods on the physical and chemical properties of African baobab leaves. Fresh and matured leaves were thoroughly washed and drained to remove all dirts and divided into five samples. Each sample was dried under the sun, under a shade, cabinet dryer set at a temperature of 500C, and solar dryer respectively. Proximate, mineral and Vitamin A composition and colour determination were carried out on the fresh and dried samples. The results showed that the fresh sample is rich in Protein (12.28%). Shade drying was found most suitable among the drying methods because it was able to retain most of the nutrients with significant difference in proximate, ascorbic acid and mineral contents from other drying methods. Shade drying was therefore recommended.