Obtaining a dietary supplement from disposable cabbage leaves

Abstract

The present study aims at determining the most convenient operating conditions for obtaining a dietarycomplement of high quality, in terms of nutrient content and rehydration capacity, from disposableleaves of the white cabbage. Different thermal treatments were used for dehydration. Previously, somesamples were applied blanching and freezing. These technological treatments and pretreatments,applied at different stages of the productive process, were conducted in order to evaluate and comparetheir effect on the content of nutrients and substances to be preserved, which were present in the freshleaves. Then, the dietary complements obtained were analyzed. Proximal composition, vitamin Ccontent, phenols and antioxidant activity were determined. Results indicate that a microwave dryingprocess at 200 W following a 2 min blanching at 96±2 ºC resulted in an antioxidant dietary complementwith an energy value of 1415.76±25.84 kJ, showing interesting amounts of proteins, carbohydrates,crude fiber, lipids and ashes.