Evaluation of Morphological, Physical and Functional Attributes of Agathi (Sesbania grandiflora) Leaves and Flowers

Abstract

The study aimed to characterize the morphological, physical, and functional properties of agathi (Sesbania grandiflora) leaf and flower powders, highlighting their potential for food applications. Morphological assessments revealed that agathi leaves have an edible index of 76.20 ± 0.42 % and a waste index of 23.75 ± 0.65 %, while flowers showed an edible index of 63.79 ± 0.46% and a waste index of 36.21 ± 0.54 %. Physical properties showed that leaf powder had a higher bulk density (0.36 ± 0.02 g/cm³) and tapped density (0.59 ± 0.02 g/cm³) compared to flower powder (0.29 ± 0.03 g/cm³ and 0.48 ± 0.01 g/cm³, respectively). The flowability (Carr index) was slightly better for flower powder (40.24 ± 0.01 %) than for leaf powder (39.2 ± 0.01 %). Functional properties indicated that flower powder had significantly higher water absorption capacity (597.28 ± 1.22 %) and oil absorption capacity (224.21 ± 1.56%) compared to leaf powder (315.30 ± 1.28 % and 183.16 ± 1.34 %, respectively). Flower powder also exhibited greater solubility (28.77 ± 2.66 %) versus leaf powder (12.92 ± 1.59 %). These results suggest that both agathi powders are valuable ingredients for food formulations, providing functional and nutritional benefits, and are suitable for use in developing, handling, and packaging functional food products.