Common Leafy Vegetables Research Articles

Cadmium accumulation in wastewater-irrigated vegetables: Exploring factors, thresholds, health implications, and transfer modeling

The Introduction of cadmium (Cd) into the soil-crop system through wastewater (WW) irrigation poses a significant challenge to environmental safety. However, the understanding of the relationship between Cd phytoavailability in WW-irrigated soil and its uptake characteristics in edible vegetables remains largely unknown. This study aims to analyze the influence of WW irrigation on the accumulation characteristics and health risks associated with Cd in the soil-vegetables system. Soil and corresponding vegetable samples were collected from 12 vegetable farms including cabbage, lettuce, green beans, and pepper were studied under wastewater (WW) and freshwater (FW) irrigation. WW irrigation led to a significant increase in soil Cd levels, with enrichment factor, and contamination factor values ranging from 2.9 to 3.1 and 2.7 to 3.3 times higher, respectively, compared to the control. Across the study farms, WW irrigation increased Cd concentrations in cabbage, green beans, lettuce, and pepper by 62–220%, 55–100%, 25–68%, and 29–80%, respectively, compared to FW-irrigated farms. The average hazard quotient (HQ) and carcinogenic risk (CR) scores for Cd in WW-irrigated vegetables indicated low risk (0.1 < HQ) and fell within the permissible range (1.00E-06 < CR < 1.00E-04) for children and adults. The soil DTPA-extractable Cd thresholds for WW-irrigated farms cultivating cabbage, lettuce, green beans, and pepper were 0.62, 0.72, 0.85, and 0.83 mg kg−1, respectively. The results provide insight into the management strategies along with developing sustainable production practices for common leafy vegetables in Cd-enriched soil resulting from WW irrigation.

A Comparative Study of the Presence of Minerals, Flavonoids and Total Phenolic Compounds in the Leaves of Common Traditional Vegetables

Indigenous leafy vegetables are used mainly for human consumption since they provide health promoting phytonutrients and bioactive compounds such as antioxidants, flavonoids, minerals and vitamins. However, the phytonutrients and bioactive compounds in the leaves of these vegetables vary widely both quantitatively and qualitatively due to genetic and environmental factors. This study determined the diversity, molecular size variation and the relationships between the minerals and nutrients. Four common leafy vegetables and one standard were used in the study. The mean iron and manganese leaf content was 279.44 mg/kg DW and 247.86 mg/kg DW, respectively. The total phenolic content ranged between 0.37 and 0.50 mg GAE/g. Nineteen different bioactive compounds, varying widely in molecular size, were detected in the four common leafy vegetables. Jute mallow leaves contained only two bioactive molecules which included quercetin-3′-glucoside. None of the eight quercetin-related derivatives that were present among the leafy vegetables were detected in Swiss chard. In cowpea, 2,2 diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl free radical scavenging activity was four-fold higher than in pumpkin and Swiss chard leaves. These results demonstrated that the common leafy vegetables varied widely in mineral composition and bioactive compounds, suggesting that a combination of these vegetables in the human diet can provide a wider range of nutrients.

Preliminary Assessment of Four Wild Leafy Species to Be Used as Baby Salads

Wild edible leafy plants, thanks to their organoleptic characteristics and nutritional value that can make them be appreciated as salads by consumers, represent a good opportunity for growers and the fresh-cut industry, which are always looking for new crops to expand the number of products they offer. In this study, four wild species (dandelion, sorrel, wild chicory, and wild lettuce) were cultivated hydroponically up to the baby leaf stage in order to evaluate them as potential crops. At harvest, yield and antioxidant compounds, minerals, and nitrates content were assessed. The contribution to human mineral intake and the possible health risk associated with heavy metals were investigated. A characterization of the sensory profile was also carried out. Yield and chlorophylls and carotenoids content of the investigated species were comparable to those of common leafy vegetables. Variability in nitrate content was observed, with the lowest value in sorrel and the highest in dandelion. All species could contribute in Cr, Mg, and Se intake, and health risks due to heavy metals were excluded. Each species was well characterized by distinctive and peculiar sensory notes. In conclusion, the results of this preliminary study suggest that the four wild investigated species may be promising for baby leaf production.

The parasitic contamination of Garden cress Lepidium sativum L. and Lettuce Lactuca sativa L. in Baghdad city, Iraq

Leafy vegetables are desirable diets as they provide important nutrient requirements. They are low calories and rich in dietary fibres. Their consumption is associated with mental well-being. Their contamination with human parasites represents a global problem and comprises the biggest microbiological risk concern accompanied by health and economic consequences. In Iraq, Garden cress Lepidium sativum L. and Lettuce Lactuca sativa L. are among the most common leafy vegetables and are served daily during the winter season. The samples of each vegetable species (68) were collected randomly from local markets in New Baghdad and Sadr City on the eastern side of Baghdad during the period from mid-February to mid-March 2021. These two places were with high limited income population density. Vegetable samples were immersed in physiological saline in suitable plastic containers and left for 15 minutes then centrifuged to collect parasites. Iodine and Z-N stains and wet mount microscopy were used to detect the protozoan cysts. The results showed that protozoa contaminate 66.2% and 44.1% of the cress and lettuce samples. A total of 10 parasitic species of protozoa and helminths were recorded. The recovered ten parasite species are of medical importance. Using human faeces in the fertilization of the vegetable cultivation fields seems to be the most probable transmission route of the 10 parasitic stages recorded in this study to humans.

Effects of Sound Wave and Water Management on Growth and Cd Accumulation by Water Spinach (Ipomoea aquatica Forsk.)

Vegetable contamination by cadmium (Cd) is of great concern. Water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica) is a common leafy vegetable in many countries and has a strong ability to accumulate Cd. The work was conducted to study the effects of sound wave, water management, and their combination on Cd accumulation and growth of water spinach, using the following three experiments: a hydroponic trial with the treatment of a plant acoustic frequency technology (PAFT) generator in test sheds, a hydroponic trial with three music treatments (electronic music (EM), rock music (RM), and classical music (CM)) in artificial climate boxes, and a soil pot trial with treatments of PAFT and EM under non-flooded and flooded conditions. The results showed that the hydroponic treatments of PAFT and EM significantly reduced the Cd concentrations in roots and shoots (edible parts) of water spinach by 22.01–36.50% compared with the control, possibly due to sound waves decreasing the root tip number per unit area and increasing average root diameter, root surface area, and total root length. Sound wave treatments clearly enhanced water spinach biomass by 28.27–38.32% in the hydroponic experiments. In the soil experiment, the flooded treatment significantly reduced the Cd concentrations in roots and shoots by 43.75–63.75%, compared with the non-flooded treatment. The Cd decrease and the biomass increase were further driven by the PAFT supplement under the flooding condition, likely related to the alteration in root porosity, rates of radial oxygen loss, extractable soil Cd, soil Eh, and soil pH. Our results indicate that the co-application of plant acoustic frequency technology and flooded management may be an effective approach to reduce Cd accumulation in water spinach.

Modeling Nitrogen Uptake in Eight Common Leafy Vegetables in Red River Delta, Vietnam

Fertilizer originated nitrate excess in vegetables has attracted numerous studies for its effects on food quality. However, the relationship between plant nitrate accumulation and fertilizer-derived nitrogen (FTN) in the soil in continuous research is rarely reported. This study examines the impact of conventional ammonium fertilizer application (50.4 kg/ha) on the constant trend of soil nitrogen and plant nitrate uptake of 8 common leafy vegetables grown in Red Delta River, Vietnam. The vegetables reveal both FTN and plant nitrate took about 17 days to release from topsoil and plant. The trend of FTN is well fitted by a regression model (Decay model, R2=0.945, p&lt;0.001), which shows the nitrogen loss rate of FTN range from 0.120-0.139 g N/day. Meanwhile, the trend of plant nitrate uptake fitted the quadratic equation (R2=0.889, p&lt;0.01). Although the correlation between FTN and plant nitrate is weak, this study finds that autumn crops have a tighter relationship than summer crops (R=0.71 and R=0.46, respectively). It can be concluded that regression models could be suitable methods to observe the behavior of fertilizer nitrogen in soil and vegetable uptake.

Characteristics and Health Risk Assessment of Cadmium, Lead, and Arsenic Accumulation in Leafy Vegetables Planted in a Greenhouse

In recent years, dust pollution has occurred frequently in spring and haze or fog in autumn and winter. The inhalable particulate matters in the atmosphere, especially PM2.5, loaded in heavy metals such as cadmium, lead, and arsenic, are easily taken up by leafy vegetables and accumulate in the edible parts. It is not clear whether the accumulation of heavy metals in the edible parts of leafy vegetables in greenhouses is also affected by atmospheric deposition. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted to explore characteristics and health risk assessment of cadmium, lead, and arsenic accumulation in leafy vegetables planted in a greenhouse using six types of common leafy vegetables (spinach, leaf lettuce, lettuce, pakchoi, Chrysanthemum coronarium, and fennel) in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. The results showed that C. coronarium, pakchoi, and spinach are the leafy vegetables with a low accumulation of Cd, Pb, and As, respectively. Fennel is the leafy vegetable with a low accumulation of Cd and Pb. In the greenhouse, Pb concentrations in PM2.5 were 42.6 and 8.4 times of Cd and As, respectively. Moreover, PM2.5-Pb contributed on average 36.5% to the edible parts of six kinds of leafy vegetables, which indicated that the Cd, Pb, and As accumulated in leafy vegetables were mainly derived from the soil. Meanwhile, the concentrations of Cd, Pb, and As in the edible parts of vegetables did not exceed the safety limitations of three heavy metals (GB 2762-2017), and Pb accumulation in leafy vegetables does not pose a health risk to humans. However, Cd in the leafy vegetables could threaten the health of adults and children, except for the intake of fennel. Conversely, As in the C. coronarium could threaten the health of adults and children.

Vernonia amygdalina stimulates muscle glucose uptake and modulates redox activities and functional chemistry in oxidative hepatic injury.

The ethyl acetate, ethanol, and aqueous extracts sequentially obtained from the leaves of Vernonia amygdalina were investigated for their antidiabetic and antioxidant protective effect in oxidative hepatic injury. The extracts showed significant (p<.05) free radical scavenging and reducing power activities. They significantly (p<.05) elevated reduced glutathione level, superoxide dismutase, and catalase activities, with concomitant depletion of malondialdehyde level. The ethanol and aqueous extracts caused a removal of oxidative-included chemical functional group at 1,500-1,200 (amide II)/cm region, with the inclusion of a functional group at 3,000-2,800 (carboxylic acid)/cm region. The extracts significantly (p<.05) inhibited the activities of α-glucosidase and α-amylase and stimulated glucose uptake in rat muscles. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometric (GC-MS) analysis revealed phytol as the predominant compound, with ethanol having the highest concentration. Based on the IC50 values, the ethanol extract exhibited the best activities, followed by the ethyl acetate extract, while the aqueous extract was the least. These results suggest the antioxidative and antidiabetic properties of V.amygdalina as evident by their modulation of antioxidant biomarkers and oxidative-induced chemistry changes and stimulate muscle glucose uptake. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Vernonia amygdalina (bitter leaf) is amongst the common leafy vegetables in West Africa reported for its various medicinal and nutritional properties. It is utilized as a food ingredient as well as supplement for the treatment and management of type 2 diabetes. The ability of its extracts to stimulate glucose uptake and protect against diabetic-induced changes in the chemical functional groups of the liver gives more credence to its reported antidiabetic properties. Being a common leafy vegetable, V.amygdalina can be a cheap source of nutraceutical for the treatment and management of type 2 diabetes and its complications.

Effect of bio-fertilizers on growth and yield of spinach (Beta vulgaris L.) cv. All Green

Spinach beet is one of the most common leafy vegetables of tropical and sub-tropical regions. The popular palak growing states include Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Maharashtra and Gujarat. However, Palak is not very popular in South India. It is primarily used as potherb. It is a rich Source of vitamin A and C and also contains appreciable amount of protein, calcium and iron. The leaves contain low oxalic acid. Variety All Green was developed at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, it produces green tender leaves and gives about 6-7 cuttings at 15-20 days interval with yields about 12 tonnes/ha. Bio-fertilizers are less expressive, ecofriendly and sustainable likely to assume greater significance complement or supplement to inorganic fertilizers. A field experiment was conducted to see the effect of biofertilizers on growth and yield of spinach. Under study treatments imposed were Control – RDF (T0), Azotobacter @ 10kg/ha (T1), PSB @10 kg/ha (T2), Azotobacter + PSB each @10 kg/ha (T3), Azotobacter + PSB as seed treatment (T4), Azotobacter @ 2 lit/ha (T5), PSB @2 lit/ha (T6), Azotobacter+ PSB each @2 lit/ha (T7),Azotobacter @10 kg and PSB @2 lit/ha (T8), Azotobacter @ 2 lit + PSB @ 10 kg/ha (T9). Result revealed that biofertilizer supplimentation beneficial over control with respect to growth and yield of crop. Among biofertilizers of Azotobacter and PSB each at 2 litre per hectare application through liquid formulation was better and economic to the farmers for growing spinach cv. All Green.

Chromatographic Assessment of Polyphenolic Profile and Total Phenolic Content and Antioxidant Activity of Common Leafy Vegetables in Bangladesh

Background: Polyphenolic compounds are known to provide health benefits and protect against degenerative chronic diseases. Utilization and identification of foods with a high content of these compounds are gaining greater attention nowadays. Objective: The present study reports the total phenolic content (TPC), polyphenolic composition and antioxidant activity (DPPH, FRAP and TEAC) of 10 commonly consumed leafy vegetables growing in Bangladesh. Materials and Methods: The samples were collected from different locations of Bangladesh and mixed together to ensure sample representativeness. Folin-Ciocalteu method was used for the analysis of TPC, and quantification of polyphenolic components was done by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC- DAD). Additionally, antioxidant activities of the selected vegetables were also analysed by utilizing DPPH, FRAP &amp; TEAC. Results and Discussion: TPC ranged from 23.64 ± 1.20 to 45.59 ± 3.04 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g freeze-dried sample (fds). The polyphenolic spectrum ranged from 0.30 ± 0.02 to 647.42 ± 147.12 mg/100 g fds; quantity and spectrum of which varied in the vegetables. Among the studied vegetables, Centella asiatica contained the highest amount of TPC (45.59 ± 3.04 mg GAE/g fds) and also exhibited high antioxidant capacities, as documented by DPPH, FRAP and TEAC assays. Moreover, Principal component analysis (PCA) of investigated variables clearly separated Centella asiatica from other samples. Conclusion: Phenolic compounds being strong antioxidants reduce the risk of chronic diseases and the finding of this study would aware the people to take vegetables rich in phenolics. It would also fill up the data gap in the existing food composition table of Bangladesh.

Change in the bio-uptake of soil phthalates with increasing mulching years: Underlying mechanism and response to temperature rise

Plastic mulch, which is widely used in agricultural production, releases phthalates to soil–plant systems and thus may pose potential human health risks. There is a growing concern of whether or how the phthalate bio-uptake varies with increasing mulching years, and what is the underlying mechanism and how this variation responds to global warming. Here, we used one of the most common leafy vegetables, spinach, as the research object and presented a pioneering investigation of this variation and mechanism and a prediction of the response of this variation to global warming. Phthalate concentrations in spinach increased first and then decreased after approximately 17 mulching years, suggesting that although phthalates accumulate in vegetables in the early stage of mulching, they decline after a decade. This change in spinach was mainly attributed to phthalate changes in bulk soil pore water with mulching years. Coarse sand fraction contributed 93% of phthalates in pore water. In addition, this study showed that the mean concentrations of BDP and DEHP in the soil under film mulching were 0.16 mg kg−1 and 0.46 mg kg−1, respectively, which were far below the U.S. soil cleanup criteria. Furthermore, the concentrations of DBP and DEHP in bulk soil increased first and then reached a relatively stable state after 20 mulching years. The above results are all good news, suggesting that film mulching is a clean and safe agricultural production technology. Our experiment of increasing temperature by 10 °C showed that increased temperature caused phthalates to increase in soil pore water extracted from both bulk soil and each soil fraction, and this increase became increasingly significant with mulching years. Thus, global warming is expected to promote the phthalate bio-uptake, and such effect will become more pronounced with increasing mulching years and thus must be paid attention.

COMPARATIVE STUDIES ON ANTIDIABETIC, ANALGESIC, AND CYTOTOXIC EFFECT OF ETHANOLIC EXTRACTS OF AMARANTHUS GANGETICUS L. AND ALTERNANTHERA SESSILIS L.

Objective: The present study was designed to evaluate and compare antidiabetic, analgesic, and cytotoxic properties of Lal shak (Amaranthus gangeticus L.) and Chanchi shak (Alternanthera sessilis L.). We carried out this work to explore the medicinal uses of very common and cheap leafy plant vegetables among the people of all classes.&#x0D; Methods: The antidiabetic activity was evaluated and compared by studying the effect of ethanolic extract of A. gangeticus (EEAG) and ethanolic extract of A. sessilis (EEAS) against blood glucose level of alloxan-induced diabetic mice in every 6 h for 24 h. To evaluate and compare analgesic and cytotoxic activity, different tests such as acetic acid-induced writhing test, hot plate test, and brine shrimp lethality bioassay test had been performed.&#x0D; Results: The mice were treated with both plants extract at a dose of 200 mg/kg body weight in case of antidiabetic activity test. Blood glucose level was examined and found that there was a significant reduction of blood glucose level with EEAG (p&lt;0.05) and EEAS (p&lt;0.001) in comparison with their respective diabetic control group. Although both plant extracts reduced the blood glucose level, the glucose reducing effect was higher in EEAS. Both the plants showed significant (p&lt;0.05) peripheral analgesic activity in treated mice but no significant central analgesic activity. EEAG showed higher peripheral analgesic activity than EEAS. In brine shrimp lethality bioassay, both the plants showed higher LC50 value thus cytotoxicity occurs at very higher dose and safe to administer.&#x0D; Conclusion: In this study, both the plants showed sufficient antidiabetic property and higher LC50 value, thus administration of leafy vegetable Lal shak and Chanchi shak may be useful for diabetic people. Chanchi shak may be more helpful for diabetic people than Lal shak.

Impact of industrial pollution on physiological growth and nutrient contents of common green leafy vegetables

The agriculture has been always remaining as backbone of economy. Maintenance of soil and water quality has been pointed out as one of the major contributing factors for sustainability of agricultural production. Conserving the water sources and agricultural lands for getting non-toxic food from plants, the present study has undertaken to investigate the mineral composition and vitamin contents of green leafy vegetables as well as the effect of pollution on plant physiology. Normal soil and water, Industrial non - recycled water and soil were collected from the Thekkampatti village of Karamadai, Coimbatore district, Tamil Nadu. Industrial recycled water and soil have collected from the Otterpalayam (Annur) of Coimbatore district, Tamil Nadu. The result indicates that industrial non recycled water possess pH of 8.9 shows alkalinity. Industrial water non recycled soil the Chromium (58.0 mg/L) is present in higher quantity. The germination percentage was desirably good in normal soil and followed by water recycled soil cultivated green leaves. In non-recycled soil it was delayed thegermination and percentage also very poor. In case of Amaranthus polygonoides, the germination was completely inhibited by the water recycled soil as well as water non-recycled polluted soil. The impact of pollution present in the non-recycled soil was clearly observed in respective plant leaf numbers, size and shoot length. The present study is also one of the attempts to prove the importance of recycling of industrial pollution as well as the impact of non-recycled heavy metal pollution in common green leafy vegetables growth and nutrients. The industries should follow the recycling process based on the chemicals utilized for their products. The soil and water are need to conserve with efficient recycling methods in order to prevent the pollution which in turn becomes health hazards for the human and other living organisms through crop plants.

Microbial Quality of Some Leafy Vegetables Sold in Iree

This study investigates the microbial quality of some common leafy vegetables sold in Iree. Three common leafy vegetables were used which were Amaranthus viridis (‘Tete’), Corchorus olito rus (‘Ewedu’) and Talinum triangulare (‘Gbure’). The samples were bought from the Iree main market and packaged in a sterilized aluminium covered plates and were transferred immediately into the laboratory where they were examined for Total viable counts, coliform counts and Total fungal counts. The average total viable counts was 2.2 x 105cfu/mL for Amaranthus viridis, 2.3 x 105 cfu/mL for Corchorus olitorius and 1.9 x 105 for Talinum triangulare. Seven bacteria belonging to five genera and three fungal Spp. were isolated, which include, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus, Salmonella enteritidis, Enterobacter aerogenes, Eschericia coli, Micrococcus luteus, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Penicilium italicum respectively. Staphylococcus (26%) was the most predominantly isolated followed by Bacillus subtilis (13%), Eschericia coli (12%), Streptococcus and Micrococcus (11%), Enterobacteriacea (9%), fungal (10%) and Bacillus cereus was the least (8%). These results showed that agricultural practices on these vegetables, like transportation, irrigation and even fertilizer application method could pose risks to the consumers, it is therefore advised that proper cooking of these leafy vegetables by boiling in 100°C boiling water, should strictly be adhered to before consumption not just mere blanching.

Nutritional Quality and Safety Traceability System for China’s Leafy Vegetable Supply Chain Based on Fault Tree Analysis and QR Code

Leafy vegetables are consumed in most daily xdiets worldwide. As living standards improve, food quality, safety requirements, and nutrition are becoming increasingly important to consumers when purchasing leafy vegetables. This study proposes an evaluation and traceability method that can be used to track the nutritional quality of leafy vegetables. Employing the principles of the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) system combined with fault tree analysis (FTA), a traceability model for the entire production and sale process of leafy vegetables is constructed. Four common leafy vegetables, spinach, rape, lettuce, and celery are examined in this research to establish a nutritional quality index system using fuzzy mathematics subordinate function method to evaluate nutritional quality. A nutritional quality and safety traceability system based on browser/server architecture and quick response (QR) code is then designed and developed for full traceability of leafy vegetable quality. This method can ensure food safety and hygiene through the control of key factors affecting food safety throughout the entire supply chain process.

Estimating Chlorophyll Content of Leafy Green Vegetables from Adaxial and Abaxial Reflectance.

As a primary pigment of leafy green vegetables, chlorophyll plays a major role in indicating vegetable growth status. The application of hyperspectral remote sensing reflectance offers a quick and nondestructive method to estimate the chlorophyll content of vegetables. Reflectance of adaxial and abaxial leaf surfaces from three common leafy green vegetables: Pakchoi var. Shanghai Qing (Brassica chinensis L. var. Shanghai Qing), Chinese white cabbage (Brassica campestris L. ssp. Chinensis Makino var. communis Tsen et Lee), and Romaine lettuce (Lactuca sativa var longifoliaf. Lam) were measured to estimate the leaf chlorophyll content. Modeling based on spectral indices and the partial least squares regression (PLS) was tested using the reflectance data from the two surfaces (adaxial and abaxial) of leaves in the datasets of each individual vegetable and the three vegetables combined. The PLS regression model showed the highest accuracy in estimating leaf chlorophyll content of pakchoi var. Shanghai Qing (R2 = 0.809, RMSE = 62.44 mg m−2), Chinese white cabbage (R2 = 0.891, RMSE = 45.18 mg m−2) and Romaine lettuce (R2 = 0.834, RMSE = 38.58 mg m−2) individually as well as of the three vegetables combined (R2 = 0.811, RMSE = 55.59 mg m−2). The good predictability of the PLS regression model is considered to be due to the contribution of more spectral bands applied in it than that in the spectral indices. In addition, both the uninformative variable elimination PLS (UVE-PLS) technique and the best performed spectral index: MDATT, showed that the red-edge region (680–750 nm) was effective in estimating the chlorophyll content of vegetables with reflectance from two leaf surfaces. The combination of the PLS regression model and the red-edge region are insensitive to the difference between the adaxial and abaxial leaf structure and can be used for estimating the chlorophyll content of leafy green vegetables accurately.

Occurrence and Human Health Risk of Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) Pesticide Residues in Commonly Consumed Vegetables in Southwestern Nigeria.

Background.Fluted pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis) and amaranth (Amaranthus spp.) are common leafy vegetables produced and consumed in southwestern Nigeria. These vegetables attract insect pests which are controlled by pesticides that may have adverse impacts on human health.Objectives.To determine the levels of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) pesticide residues in the two vegetables and evaluate the potential health risks associated with their consumption.Methods.The pesticide residue levels were quantitatively and qualitatively determined using a gas chromatograph coupled with electron capture detector. Health risk assessment were performed using estimated average daily intake and hazard indices for two weight categories: children (16.7 kg) and adults (60 kg).Results.The results showed that delta-HCH, DDT and methoxychlor were predominantly detected in the two vegetables from both farms and markets. In amaranth, the mean concentration of methoxychlor, DDT and delta-HCH were 4.590 ± 2.774 mg/kg (dry weight (dw)), 0.757 ± 0.457 mg/kg (dw) and 0.577 ± 0.390 mg/kg (dw), respectively, while fluted pumpkin levels were 6.223 ± 2.489 mg/kg dw (methoxychlor), 0.504 ± 0.056 mg/kg dw (delta-HCH) and 0.486 ± 0.123 mg/kg dw (DDT). The levels of HCH and DDT residues were generally above the United Kingdom/European Commission maximum residue limit. The analysis of health risk estimates for non-carcinogenic risk revealed that for both vegetables, the hazard quotient for p, p′ DDT and methoxychlor was >1 for both children and adults. The health risk estimates for carcinogenic risk revealed that hazard indices values were >1 for children for both vegetables and alpha-HCH had a hazard index >1 for adults for amaranth. This means the residue exceeds acceptable standard and present potential risk to consumers of these vegetables.Conclusions.The results obtained from the present study indicate that consumption of amaranth contaminated with alpha-HCH could pose a carcinogenic risk for adult consumers. The consumption of the two vegetables could pose both non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health risks to children and adults. Therefore, there is need for strict enforcement of regulations on pesticide usage to minimize human health risks.Competing Interests.The authors declare no competing financial interests.

Estimation of Oxalate Content of Bottle Gourd Leaves

Bottle gourd leaves are widely used as animal feed in India. Consumption among the human beings, especially in low income group people are also found. But many of the leafy vegetables contain oxalate which may have hindering effect on the absorption of some important minerals like Calcium, Iron etc in human body. In this present study total oxalate content of bottle gourd leaves ( Lagenaria siceraria ) has been estimated by permanganate titration method. The result shows that the oxalate content of bottle gourd leaves ( Lagenaria siceraria ) is 49.086mg/100gm. The oxalate contents of some of the common leafy vegetable are also compared to the bottle gourd leaves ( Lagenaria siceraria ). From this study it may be concluded that oxalate content of bottle gourd leaves is much lower than that of other leafy vegetables.

Mineral composition in populations of Iranian wild celery

ABSTRACTKelussia odoratissima Mozaff. is an Iranian endemic plant, with use as a leafy vegetable, spice, and medicinal herb. This plant is grown in high-altitude mountains and harvested annually in the spring. Five wild populations of K. odoratissima were collected from Ardal, Chelgerd, Sar-Agha-Seyyed, Mogooei, Lordegan regions of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province, Iran. Mineral composition of samples was analyzed. Differences were detected among populations. The Ardal population had the highest K (5.30 mg∙100 g−1) and Mn (136.60 mg∙kg−1) contents. The highest P (0.89 mg∙100 g−1), Ca (2.58 mg∙100 g−1) and Mg (0.55 mg∙100 g−1) contents were in the Sar-Agha-Seyyed population. The highest Fe (1258 mg∙kg−1) and Cu (9.81 mg∙100 g−1) contents were in the Chelgerd populations. There was a significant, negative, correlation between Zn and P. Differences in mineral composition of K. odoratissima corresponded to variation among populations. It appears wild celery is a good source of minerals compared to other common leafy vegetables in Apiaceae family.

Utilisation of common leafy vegetables in the diets of giant West African snail Archachatina marginata (Swainson, 1821) (Stylommatophora: Achatinidae)

A study was conducted to evaluate the effects of utilisation of three leafy vegetable diets (bitter leaf Vernonia amygdalina, fluted pumpkin leaf Telfairia occidentalis and pawpaw leaf Carica papaya) on the growth performance of giant West African snail Archachatina marginata. A total of 90 A. marginata were used for the study. 30 snails were also subjected to three different dietary treatments in three replicates of 10 snails per replicate and fed with the fresh leaves of these vegetables over a period of 12 weeks. Results obtained recorded significant differences (P &lt; 0.05) in terms of weight gain, shell length, shell circumference and shell thickness. On the whole, Archachatina marginata fed on fluted pumpkin leaf performed better in terms of mean weight gain when compared with those fed on bitter and pawpaw leaves. On the other hand, snails fed on pawpaw leaf had the best mean shell length gain, mean shell circumference and mean shell thickness when compared with those fed on bitter and fluted pumpkin leaves. The result clearly showed that the tested leafy vegetables can be successfully utilised as diets for rearing of A. marginata. For farmers to achieve better result, the inclusion of fluted pumpkin and pawpaw leaves in the diets of Archachatina marginata is highly recommended in snail rearing businesses.