Development of Value Added Products from Papaya Leaves

Abstract

Papaya is a fast growing plant having 5 to 10 meters height. Every part in papaya including leaves of can be used for nutritional and medicinal purpose. The fresh Taiwan variety of papaya leaves were procured. Papaya leaves have 0.2 mm leaf thickness. The carbohydrates, protein, fiber, fat, and total ash content of papaya leaves were found to be 57.28, 20.15, 5.41, 2.05, and 14.06 per cent, respectively, and total phenolic content and total flavonoid content were found to be 1381.40 mg GAE/100g and 2164.40 mg RE/100 g respectively. newlineThe papaya leaves were dried in tray dryer, fluidized bed dryer and heat pump dryer at 40, 50 and 60oC. Drying rate was influenced by the air temperature. There was a variation in drying time from 3 days 8 h, 390 to 270, 270 to 210, and 360 to 240 min for shade, tray, fluidized bed and heat pump drying respectively. newlineThe samples dried at 48oC in fluidized bed dryer were found optimum in terms of responses viz., drying time (242 min), carbohydrate 54.75 per cent, protein 26.55 per cent, fiber 4.73 per cent, fat 1.29 per cent and total ash 15.78 per cent, respectively. Total phenols and total flavonoids were 1092.82 mg GAE/100 g and 1660.66 mg RE/100 g respectively. newlinePapaya leaves dried at optimized conditions used in different proportions of 5, 10 and 15 per cent, for the development of supplemented biscuits. Papaya leaf powder supplemented biscuits with 5 per cent were found best and showed carbohydrate, protein and fiber content of 51.54, 10.26 and 6.60 per cent respectively. Contd.... newline