Oxalate content of raw, wok-fried, and juice made from bitter gourd fruits.

Wen‐Chun Bong,Geoffrey Savage

doi:10.1002/fsn3.706

Abstract

The total, soluble, and insoluble oxalate contents of fresh and wok‐fried bitter gourd (Momordica charantia) fruits were extracted and measured using HPLC chromatography. Frozen bitter gourds were imported from Vietnam, and two cultivars characteristic of bitter gourd fruits grown in India and Malaysia were grown locally in the North Island of New Zealand. The mean total oxalate contents of ripe fruits from Vietnam, India, and Malaysia were 85.90 ± 8.60 mg/100 g wet matter (WM), while the mean total oxalates fell to 88.06 ± 0.95 mg/100 g FM when the fruits were wok‐fried. The mean soluble oxalate content of the total oxalate was 54.42% of the ripe fruits and 58.14% of the wok‐fried fruits. The three cultivars of bitter gourds were processed into juice by the addition of standard ingredients and then processed through a screw press to remove excess fiber. The final juices had an overall mean value of 27.11 mg of total oxalates/100 g WM; the mean soluble oxalate content was 85.5% of the total, which was much higher than that measured in the cooked gourds (mean 70.7%).

Highlights

Bitter gourd or bitter melon (Momordica charantia L.) is an edible fruit in the Cucurbitaceae family
Bitter gourds are extensively cultivated in China, India, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia
The total, soluble, and insoluble oxalate contents of a Chinese variety of bitter gourd grown in the Nakornpathom region of Thailand had values of 71.0, 57.0, and 14.0 mg/100 g wet matter (WM) in the raw fruits (Judprasong, Charoenkiatkul, Sungpuag, Vasanachitt, & Nakjamanong, 2006)

Summary

| INTRODUCTION

Bitter gourd or bitter melon (Momordica charantia L.) is an edible fruit in the Cucurbitaceae family. Despite the different preparation methods, cucurbitane glycosides, momordicosides K and L, and momordicines I and II contribute to the bitterness of bitter gourds and they are thought to play an important role in its health benefits (Tan et al, 2016). The bitterness of this fruit has led to the use of different processing and. The total, soluble, and insoluble oxalate contents of a Chinese variety of bitter gourd grown in the Nakornpathom region of Thailand had values of 71.0, 57.0, and 14.0 mg/100 g WM in the raw fruits (Judprasong, Charoenkiatkul, Sungpuag, Vasanachitt, & Nakjamanong, 2006). The study investigated the impact of cooking or juicing on the oxalate levels of the fruits

| MATERIALS AND METHODS

| DISCUSSION

Findings

| CONCLUSIONS