Proximate and Water Soluble Vitamin Contents in Some Selected Bangladeshi Fruits and Vegetables

Abstract

Fruits and vegetables are generally valued for their rich content of vitamins and minerals. The present study has been undertaken to determine the proximate composition (moisture, protein, fat, total ash and total dietary fiber) and water soluble vitamins (Thiamin, Riboflavin, vitamin C and vitamin B6) contents in selected key fruits and vegetables of Bangladesh. Proximate composition of analyzed fruits and vegetables shows that the moisture content in all analyzed sample was very high ranging 81-95%. Results showed that all the analyzed food sample contain as expected less amounts of fat and available carbohydrate except banana (19% available carbohydrate). Total dietary fiber content varied widely (1.6-7.2 g/100 g) of which jackfruit was found rich in it (7.2 g/100 g edible portion). Water soluble vitamin analysis of fruits and vegetables shows that thiamin content in analyzed samples was highest in jackfruit and lowest in egg plant. Riboflavin is ranging from 0.043-0.144 mg/100 g edible portion. Tomato contained lowest amount of pyridoxine while jackfruit contained highest amount (0.049-0.313 mg/100 g edible portion, respectively). L-Ascorbic acid content of the vegetables revealed that green chili contained highest amount as expected (102 mg/100 g edible portion) whereas banana contained the lowest (0.104 mg/100 g edible portion). The findings of this study provided valuable and reliable data of water soluble vitamins that can be expected to contribute in diet calculation for ideal and therapeutic uses.