The Effect of Drying Method and Temperature on Antioxidant Properties of Bitter Gourd (Momordica Charantia) Powder

Wang, Alicia Jia Hui (2018) The Effect of Drying Method and Temperature on Antioxidant Properties of Bitter Gourd (Momordica Charantia) Powder. Final Year Project (Bachelor), Tunku Abdul Rahman University College.

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Abstract

Bitter gourd (Momordica charantia) is an important medicinal vegetable crop that serves as a source of natural antioxidant. The aim of this study are (i) to create and develop bitter gourd powder by using hot air oven and vacuum oven drying methods and (ii) to study the effects of drying methods on the proximate analysis and antioxidant properties of developed bitter gourd powder. The samples were dried in hot air oven drying at 40°C, 50°C and 60°C while vacuum oven drying at 40°C and 50°C to obtain bitter gourd powder. The product was evaluated for antioxidant properties including Total Phenolic Content (TPC), Total Flavonoid Content (TFC) and 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), proximate analysis such as moisture, ash, crude fat, crude fiber and crude protein. All of the proximate analysis results of the bitter gourd powder using two different drying methods showed significantly different (P<0.05) except for ash and crude protein. The moisture content (11.17 - 12.24%) of bitter gourd powders were high suggesting that the products would need to have moisture control agents in order to prevent caking. In this study, the highest TPC was achieved in Chinese variety bitter gourd powder by using hot air oven drying method at 40°C (1356.68 ± 846.71 mg GAE/100g) whereas the highest TFC content was found in Chinese variety bitter gourd powder using hot air oven drying method at 60°C (367.24 ± 40.49 mg CAE/100g). The highest radical scavenging capacity was found in Chinese variety bitter gourd powder produced by using vacuum oven drying method at 40°C (6.57 ± 4.37 %). The investigation indicated that, vacuum oven drying method at 40°C of the bitter gourd powder showed the highest antioxidant properties.