Studies on Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin-C) oxidation-reduction etc. inter-conversion of ascorbic acid
Content in Different Citrus Fruits and and de-hydroascobic acid. its Degradation During Storage Vitamin-C has received a great deal of attention and with good reason. Higher blood levels of Vitamin-C may Abstract : Vitamin-C which is chemically L-ascorbic acid is be the ideal nutrition marker for overall health, say study an essential nutrient for human body. Vitamin-C is required Researcher Mark Moyad M.D; MPH of the university. “The for various metabolic functions and its deficiency cause more we study Vitamin–C the better our understanding of scurvy. Recent studies have clearly indicated antioxidant properties of Vitamin-C and hence its role for human has how diverse it is in protecting our health and from CVD, increased manifold. It is known that citrus fruits are good cancer, stroke, eye health and immunity to living longer”. source of Vitamin-C and because of our fast changing life- Vitamin -C has become the most controversial vitamin in style packed and stored fruit juice have become very common and they are being administered for therapeutic and nutritional recent years. This is because of the claims on the use of purpose as well. The present investigation has revealed the Vitamin-C in mega-doses to cure everything from gradual degradation of vitamin-c content present in various citrus fruits even it is stored under refrigeration condition (4- common cold to cancer. Vitamin-C is a water soluble 50c). The reduction of Vitamin-C varies from one fruit to other. vitamin that is necessary for normal human growth and Hence it is always suggested to consume fresh juice rather development. Leftover amounts of the vitamin leave the than the packed and stored one. body through the urine. That means we need a continuous supply of such vitamins in our diet.
V itamin-C or L-ascorbic acid or simply Ascorbate is
an essential nutrient for humans and certain other animal species. Vitamin-C is required for a range of Various types of citrus fruits belonging to the family Rutaceae, and some vegetable are good source of Vitamin- C. Some common examples of such plants based sources essential metabolic reactions in all animals and plants. are Orange, Amla, Mausami, Lemon, Tomato, Strawberry, Deficiency of this vitamin causes the disease scurvy. The etc. Very cheap fruits like Amla and Guava are very rich biological role of ascorbate is to act as a reducing agent. sources of Vitamin-C. The fresh Amla juice contains 20 Vitamin-C is absorbed in the body by both active transport times as much Vitamin-C as Orange juice. A single Amla and simple diffusion. Ascorbate concentrations over renal fruit is equivalent to one or two oranges in Vitamin-C threshold pass freely into the urine and are excreted out. content. Heating or drying of fresh fruits or vegetables As Vitamin-C is needed for the growth and repair of tissues usually leads to destruction of most or all of the Vitamin- in all parts of our body and it is used to form an important C originally present. Amla is however an exception among proteins used to make skin, tendons, ligaments and blood fruits not only because of its high Vitamin-C content, but vessels, heal wounds and form scar tissues, repair and it also contains substances which partially protect the maintaining cartilage, bones and teeth. It is one of the many antioxidants, which removes free radicals and stimulate the vitamin from destruction on heating or drying. Amla juice immune system and prevents and treat cancers. The body which is highly acidic protects Vitamin-C. Use of dried is not able to make Vitamin- C on its own, and it does not Amla is an ancient practice and has much nutritional store Vitamin-C. This Vitamin-C has been a popular remedy relevance. for the common cold for many years. Research showed Although some of these fruits and vegetables are part that for most people Vitamin-C supplements or Vitamin-C of normal Indian diet, but the way these fruits are taken is rich foods do not reduce the risk of getting the common very important. In Indian context normally cooking styles cold. Taking a supplement after a cold starts does not and storage processes are not taken care of and this plays appear to be helpful. Most of the functions of Vitamin-C a crucial role in the amount of nutrient available to the are related to its property of undergoing reversible human body.
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As we know ascorbic acid that is Vitamin-C is an Materials and Methods : Four citrus fruits were essential nutrient for man as he lacks the capacity to selected for the present investigation. These are, Amla synthesize it like many other animal species. It helps (Emblica officinalis), Mausami (Citrus sinesis), Lemon absorption of dietary iron by keeping it in the reduced form, (Citrus limon) and Lime (Citrus aurantifolia). i.e. in ferrous form, thus Vitamin-C deficiencies are rarely Both visual as well as chemical estimation of Vitamin- seen. Ascorbic acid occurs widely in plants foods, C content and its degradation (if any) during storage was particularly in fresh fruits and vegetables, especially in studied. green varieties of all the vegetables. Juice of citrus fruits was extracted with the help of Ascorbic acid is the most sensitive vitamin in foods, common kitchen juicer. Fresh readings were taken. Later its stability varying markedly as a function of environmental on reading at 24 hours interval was taken for 3 days after conditions such as pH and the concentration of traces metal keeping the juice in refrigerator. ions and oxygen. The nature of the packaging can significantly affect the stability of ascorbic acid in foods. Visual estimation : One tablespoon of cornstarch was The effectiveness of the material as a barrier to moisture added into enough of water and it was stirred well to make and oxygen as well as the chemical nature of the surface a homogenous mixture. This stock-mixture was used for exposed to the food are important factors. The aerobic and further investigation. Nearly 250 ml of water was further anaerobic degradation reaction of ascorbic acid in reduced added and the whole mixture was boiled for 5 minutes. moisture foods have been shown highly sensitive to water Thereafter 10 drops of starch solution was added to 75 ml activity. Ascorbic acid is the most susceptible one to of water. Enough of iodine solution was added to produce destruction by atmospheric oxidation. One of the a dark purple blue color. In this way indicator solution characteristic properties of this vitamin is its intense was ready. 5 ml of indicator solution was taken in a test reducing action and hence is oxidized rapidly in air. It is tube of 15 ml capacity and to it test-material was added for this reason that when vegetables become dry and stale with the help of clean dropper. The dropper was properly or cut and exposed to air most of the Vitamin-C originally cleaned before its re-use. The test-tubes were held against present is destroyed 1. Whenever possible, fresh raw bright white background and photographs were taken. The vegetable should be used for obtaining enough of Vitamin- lighter the solution was, the higher the Vitamin-C content C because considerable quantity of Vitamin-C contents of was established. This is because Vitamin-C is responsible food is lost during processing, storage and preparation2. for discoloring purple blue indicator. Bruising, peeling, cutting into pieces of different fruits of Chemical estimation : For the chemical estimation leafy vegetables containing ascorbic acid decrease their of Vitamin-C, following materials and reagents were ascorbic acid retention3,4. Ascorbic acid decrease gradually required: during storage especially at temperature above 00 C5. Stability of the ascorbic acid also depends upon the Burette, Citrus fruits- Amla, Mausami, Lemon and packaging material, exposure to air and storage temperature Lime, 2,6-dichlorophenol indophenols solution, 52 mg of condition6. sodium salt of the dye and 42 mg of sodium bicarbonate was dissolved in water to make the final volume to 500 The present study aims at investigating the Vitamin- ml. Standard Vitamin-C solution, 10 mg of Vitamin-C in C content of four different citrus fruits (Amla, Lemon, Lime 6% (wlv) meta-phosphoric acid was dissolved to make the and Mausami), degradation of ascorbic acid (Vitamin-C) final volume the final volume with meta-phosphoric acid content of four citrus fruits under the refrigeration condition to 1 litre. after specific time intervals and provide nutritional education on Vitamin-C. Procedure : Fresh citrus fruits were squeezed to obtain their respective juices. Juices were strained through TABLE 1. Vitamin-C content of various citrus fruits. muslin cloth and immediately it was diluted (10 folds) with Sl.No. Name of the citrus fruit Vitamin-C/100ml 6% meta-phosphoric acid. Thereafter 20 ml of standard Vitamin-C solution was transferred in Erlenmeyer flask, and 1. Amla (Emblica officinalis) 178 mg it was titrated against the dye solution till the appearance 2. Mausami (Citrus sinesis) 52 mg of a light pink colour was achieved. Then the volume of 3. Lime (Citrus aurantifolia) 42.5 mg the dye used was noted down. Similarly, 20 ml of each 4. Lemon (Citrus limon) 38.5 mg test solution (diluted citrus fruit juice) against the dye
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solution was titrated and the volume of the dye used was with the time. It was also observed that the maximum recorded. degradation occurred within the 24 hr. of storage. In case Calculations : Concentration of Vitamin-C standard of Amla 8mg/100ml ascorbic acid degraded after 24 hours solution = 10 gm/ml followed by 5mg/100ml and 4mg/100ml after 48hr. and 72hr. respectively. In lemon 4.5mg/100ml ascorbic acid was Concentration of Vitamin-C in 20 ml of standard degraded after 24hr. of storage which was followed by 3mg/ solution= 200 μgm/ml 100ml after 48hr. and was constant even after 72 hr. also. Suppose ml of dye was required for the oxidation Degradation of Vitamin-C is slightly smaller in Mausami of Vitamin-C in 20 ml of the standard solution, then 1 ml and Lime after 24 hr. of storage. Only 1.5mg/100ml of the dye causes oxidation of 200/ gm of Vitamin-C. Vitamin-C was degraded after 24hr. of storage in Mausami If 20 ml of diluted citrus juices were oxidized by ml of and 2mg/100ml Vitamin-C was degraded after 24hr. of dye, storage in Lime. Then, Conclusion : The results of the analysis showed that Amount of Vitamin-C in 20 ml of diluted juice= 200/ specific time interval significantly affected the stability of x gm Vitamin-C even stored under the refrigeration condition (4- 50C) and it was observed that there is a significant negative Vitamin-C in 100 ml of diluted juice= (200/ ) x x relation exists between Vitamin-C and time of storage. The (100/20) x (1/1000) = mg outcome of this work will be highly valuable for the society because it will throw light on the Vitamin-C content of Vitamin-C in 100 ml of undiluted juice= X 10 mg commonly used citrus fruits. Most important will be the Results and Discussions : Vitamin-C content in some data generated regarding degradation of Vitamin-C of common citrus fruits was represented into the Table 1. different fruits during the course of storage. Having this Among the studied four citrus fruits namely Amla (Emblica much of data, it will be possible to educate masses officinalis), Mausami (Citrus sinesis), Lemon (Citrus limon) regarding proper storage technology. The results will also and Lime (Citrus aurantifolia) highest value of Vitamin-C be utilized for proper economic management of nutrient. content was found on Amla (178mg/100ml) followed by This is very-very important aspect because recommendation Mausami (52mg/100ml), Lime (42.5mg/100ml) and Lemon of nutrition without taking cost-effectiveness in mind will (38.5mg/100ml) respectively. fail. The experiment was conducted mainly for the purpose Different source of Vitamin-C were maintained at of revisiting the Vitamin-C content of citrus fruit juices constant temperature condition (under refrigeration at 4-50 and to study its degradation during storage. By this C). Table 2 depicts changes in ascorbic acid content of experiment we can compare relative Vitamin-C content and different sources kept under the refrigeration condition after rank four citrus fruits from highest to lowest concentrations. 24 hours time interval. It will also help in bringing awareness regarding the factors responsible for degradation of Vitamin -C during From the above mention experiment it was clearly storage. indicated that ascorbic acid content was gradually decreased AYESHA HASSAN1, ANJAN KUMAR SINHA2* AND P K MISHRA2 Table 2: Reduction in Vitamin-C Content in citrus fruits after storage at 4-5° C temperature 1Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics,
Vinoba Bhave University,
Sl. no. Name of the citrus STORAGE DURATION Hazaribag, 825 301(India) fruit 2Department of Botany,
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