Zinc retention in vegetables according to the method of preparation for consumption

Abstract

The aim of the present work was to evaluate the retention, the nutrient density and the recommended daily allowance of zinc in 14 common vegetable species prepared for consumption. The investigation included fresh vegetables, vegetables after traditional cooking in brine and two types of frozen products: one obtained using the traditional method (blanching–freezing–storage–cooking in brine) and the other obtained using the modified method, providing a ready-to-eat product (cooking in brine–freezing–storage–defrosting and heating in a microwave oven). A significant zinc decrease was found in most studied vegetables prepared for consumption. Application of the modified method contributed to a reduction in zinc losses in prepared-for-consumption frozen vegetables.

Keywords::

• Vegetables
• trace elements
• processing
• cooking
• food monitoring nutrients
• atomic emission spectrometry

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.