Retention of quality characteristics of dehydrated green leaves during storage

Green leafy vegetables are the most underexploited class of vegetables despite high nutritional value. Reports on nutritional composition and storage of some of the fresh leaves are available but the storage behavior of dehydrated leaves apparently has not been studied. Therefore, in the present study, two green leafy vegetables, savoy beets (Beta vulgaris var. bengalensis) and fenugreek (Trigonella foenum graecum) were dehydrated in a low temperature drier and stored for 9 months under ambient and cold stored conditions after packaging in single or double layers of high density polyethylene film (200 gauge). The quality was determined on the basis of retention of beta -carotene, ascorbic acid and chlorophyll, and the extent of browning during storage. Retention of these quality characteristics depended on the crop and storage conditions. Double packed and cold stored samples of fenugreek retained 67% beta -carotene, whereas savoy beet leaves retained only 57% of the initial beta -carotene under similar conditions. Similarly, higher retention of ascorbic acid and chlorophyll, and lower browning was observed in double packed, cold stored samples. Results indicated the efficacy of double packed and cold stored samples over other combinations.