Pseudocereals: Processing effects on the nutritional and bioactive properties of Celosia argentea seed

Abstract

Celosia argentea is known for its nutritious leafy vegetable, and its seeds are classified as a pseudocereal. The pseudocereal potential of the seed remained underexplored, due to limited information on the effect of processing on the flour samples. This study evaluated the influence of processing on the nutritional and bioactive properties of Celosia argentea seed (CAS) flour. The seed was autoclaved, fermented, germinated, nixtamalized, defatted, and roasted using standard methods. Nutritional and antioxidant properties of CAS samples were determined using standard procedures. Bioactive profiling of CAS methanolic extracts was carried out using GC-MS. Nutritional components determined were protein (13.18-17.18%), fat (2.14-9.66%), crude fibre (1.26-2.13%), ash (2.43-15.22%), carbohydrate (51.93-72.91%), calcium (0.26-0.92 mg/g), magnesium (0.32-0.41 mg/g), sodium (0.94-1.61 mg/g), iron (0.31-2.4 mg/g) and zinc (0.03-0.05 mg/g). The antioxidant properties were total antioxidant capacity (0.93-6.49 mg GAE/g), total flavonoid (1.35-3.34 mg/g), total phenolic (12.52-36.74 mgGAE/g), ferric reducing antioxidant power (0.77-1.73 mg/g), and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (0.36-50.28%). The 58 compounds detected in CAS samples have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antifungal properties. The protein content of CAS was significantly improved by fermentation and germination. Nixtamalization significantly (p<0.05) increased the ash, calcium, magnesium, sodium, and total antioxidant capacity of CAS. Processed CAS flour is a promising pseudocereal to produce nutrient-dense and bioactive-rich cereal-based products.