Determination of Vitamin C of Traditional Vegetables and Fruits in Nakhon Phanom Province

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to analyze the concentration of vitamin C
in traditional vegetables and traditional fruits using a titrimetric method with iodine
solution. 77 species of traditional vegetables and 27 species of traditional fruits were
collected from the Nakhon Phanom Municipality Market, Muang District, Nakhon Phanom
Province between April 2014 to January 2015. The results showed that the highest
concentration of vitamin C in traditional vegetables was found in Calamus caesius as 20.86
±1.70 mg/100 g (p<0.05), followed by Azadirachta indica var. siamensis and Lagenaria
siceraria as 20.81±2.73 and 20.18±3.36 mg/100 g, respectively. The lowest was found in
Raphanus sativus var. caudatus as 3.18±0.57 mg/100 g (p<0.05). The highest concentration
of vitamin C in traditional fruits was exhibited in Elaeocarpus lanceifolius as 29.58±5.11
mg/100 g (p<0.05) followed by Musa acuminata×Musa balbisiana and Terminalia chebula
as 23.12±0.59 and 21.44±3.30 mg/100 g, respectively. The lowest was exhibited in Morus
albaas 5.91±0.69 mg/100 g (p<0.05). Thus, some traditional vegetables and fruits are
alternative sources of vitamin C, with cheap prices high safety and medicinal properties.