Anti-nutritional profiling from the edible flowers of Allium cepa, Cucurbita maxima and Carica papaya and its comparison with other commonly consumed flowers

Abstract

Antinutrients, also known as ‘secondary metabolites’ in plants are highly biologically active chemical compounds synthesized in natural food or feedstuffs by the normal metabolism of species which prevents optimal exploitation of the nutrients present in a food. Consumption of edible flowers has increased over the years as the phytochemicals in them have been found to possess numerous health benefits. However, many edible flowers remain unexplored and underutilized. The present study quantifies and compares the anti-nutritional (tannins, phytates, oxalates, alkaloids and saponin) content of the three edible flowers of Allium cepa, Carica papaya and Cucurbita maxima with four other commonly consumed edible flowers. It was found that the three flowers have relatively a lower concentration of all the measured antinutrients when compared with its respective bulb/fruit and stalk/leaf. Also when compared to the edible flowers of Moringa oleifera, Musa paradisiaca, Musa acuminata and Woodfordia fruticosa (L.) Kurz, the test flowers have a much lower antinutritional content. This relatively small presence of antinutrients in the three test flowers makes them suitable for safe consumption.