Nutritional Content and Antioxidant Properties of Pulp Waste from Daucus carota and Beta vulgaris.

This study reports the chemical composition and antioxidant potential of pulp waste from two vegetables, carrot (Daucus carota) and beetroot (Beta vulgaris). Different in vitro assays used for determining antioxidant potential of extracts of pulp wastes were: 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging capacity, reducing power and total antioxidant activity by phosphomolybdenum method. Total polyphenols, tannins and antioxidative components such as vitamin C, total carotenoids and β-carotene were analysed in the samples. The moisture content of samples ranged from 79 - 84%. The protein content was high in beetroot (13.23 mg/100g) and low in carrot (6.21mg/100g). Total polyphenols were higher in methanol extracts of samples (220-250 mg/100g) compared to ethanol and aqueous extracts. The antioxidant activity determined by the DPPH method exhibited 40% and 78% activity in methanol extracts of carrot and beetroot pulp waste (20 mg) respectively. Overall, the results suggest that carrot and beetroot pulp wastes can be exploited for their nutrients and antioxidant components and used for value addition in food formulations. Hence, these results pave the way for utilisation of bio-wastes from the food industry.