Anti-nutritional factors & Wild Cucurbits

Sanjeet Kumar

sanjeet.biotech@gmail.com

Anti-nutritional factors are natural or synthetic compounds that interfere with the absorption of nutrients. The most common anti-nutritional factors are phytic acid, oxalic acid, lectin, tannin, saponin etc.  They are found in low to high concentration in edible parts of the plant. They reduce the palatability of the many wild edible plants. Many traditional methods of food preparations such as fermentation, cooking, and malting increases the nutritive quality of plant foods by reducing anti-nutritional factors. Such processing methods are widely used in many rural and wild societies. Janie et al. (2007) reported some bitter cucurbits are edible after treating with vinegar. Nagarani et al. (2014) documented that Momordica species are soaked with salt water before cooking to reduce bitterness. Sarkar et al. (2015) reported that the bitterness of M. charantia can be reduced by steaming. Kumar et al. (2010) documented that fruits of M. charantia when boiled reduces bitterness. Osuagwa and Edeoga (2014) reported that some wild cucurbits are edible when cut into small pieces and dried. The above all anti-nutritional factors are found also in edible cucurbits. Some species are bitter in taste, might be due to saponin and tannin. Franca (2012) reported the tannin, oxalate, cyanogenic glycosides and trypsin inhibitor in T. cucumerina, Cucurbita pepo and C. moschata. Addis et al., (2013) reported the anti-nutritional factors of C. grandis. Elinge et al., (2012) reported the phytate, oxalate, hydrocyanic acid and nitrate in C. pepo. Elemo et al., (2011) reported the peroxidase, urease, trypsin inhibitor and Saponin in L.aegyptica. Ndamitro et al., (2014) reported the cyanide, phytates, saponin in C. melo, C. maschata and C. lanatus. Fekadu (2014) reported the phytate, oxalate, tannin and cyanide from C. abyssinica.