Optimization of the carrot leaf dehydration aiming at the preservation of omega-3 fatty acids

• Main Authors: Vanessa Vivian de Almeida, Elton Guntendorfer Bonafé, Edvani Curti Muniz, Makoto Matsushita, Nilson Evelázio de Souza, Jesuí Vergílio Visentainer
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Química 2009-01-01
• Series: Química Nova
• Subjects: alpha-linolenic acid; carrot leaves; optimized drying
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0100-40422009000500042

The carrot leaf dehydration conditions in air circulation oven were optimized through response surface methodology (RSM) for minimizing the degradation of polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly alpha-linolenic (LNA, 18:3n-3). The optimized leaf drying time and temperature were 43 h and 70 ºC, respectively. The fatty acids (FA) were investigated using gas chromatography equipped with a flame ionization detector and fused silica capillary column; FA were identified with standards and based on equivalent-chain-length. LNA and other FA were quantified against C21:0 internal standard. After dehydration, the amount of LNA, quantified in mg/100 g dry matter of dehydrated carrot leaves, were 984 mg.