Philippine Journal of Science

149 (2): 273-281, June 2020

ISSN 0031 - 7683
Date Received: 11 Dec 2019

Utilization of ‘Alugbati’ (Basella alba L.) Leaves Powder

to Increase Vitamin A Content of Fresh Egg Noodles

Pamela C. Soriano1, Rovi Gem E. Villame1, Kriza Faye A. Calumba1*, Juma Novie A. Alviola1,
Aileen Grace D. Delima2, Pedro A. Alviola IV3, and Emma Ruth V. Bayogan2

1Departmentof Food Science and Chemistry

2Department of Biological Sciences and Environmental Studies
3School of Management

University of the Philippines Mindanao, Mintal, Tugbok District, Davao City 8022 Philippines

In the Philippines, indigenous vegetables like ‘alugbati’ (Basella alba L.) can be utilized to address
micronutrient deficiencies, such as vitamin A deficiency (VAD). This study aimed to develop fresh
egg noodles with higher vitamin A content through the utilization of ‘alugbati’ leaves powder. Powder
from ‘alugbati’ leaves was produced through dehydration of fully expanded leaves. The resultant
powder was used to create three formulations of fresh egg noodles at 10%, 15%, and 20% substitution
levels, with 100% wheat flour serving as the control. All formulations and the control were subjected
to a water disintegration test and preference ranking test. The most preferred formulation was
further evaluated for proximate composition, total carotenoid content (TCC), color, physical
characteristics, and consumer acceptability. Data from triplicate experiments were statistically
analyzed (p ≤ 0.05). Results showed that all samples were resistant to water disintegration (20 min
in boiling water) and egg noodle with 15% substitution level was the most preferred. This sample
had significantly higher ash (2.27 ± 0.28), fiber (1.77 ± 0.38), and protein (11.50 ± 0.11) contents than
the control. A significantly higher TCC (1550 µg/g) compared to the control (610 µg/g) also signified
that substituting with ‘alugbati’ leaves powder increased the vitamin A content of the noodles. From
this, consuming 5–10 g of ‘alugbati’ egg noodles will be able to provide the vitamin A requirement
of 400–800 µg retinol equivalent (RE). The egg noodles with a 15% substitution level also had a
significantly darker green color and significantly lower elasticity. Moreover, this formulation was
generally acceptable with mean Hedonic scores ranging from 7.20 (Like Moderately) to 7.80 (Like
Very Much). This study demonstrated that fresh egg noodles with ‘alugbati’ leaves powder can be a
good source of vitamin A. Clinical studies should be conducted to determine the role of the product
in alleviating VAD especially in children and pregnant women.

Keywords: ‘alugbati,’ egg noodles, vitamin A

INTRODUCTION most common forms of malnutrition worldwide are iron

deficiency anemia, iodine deficiency disorder, and VAD.
Micronutrient deficiency is a state wherein the body
VAD remains a public health issue among children and
lacks the essential vitamins and minerals that are needed
pregnant women in underdeveloped and developing
for growth and development (Black 2003). This leads to
countries (WHO 2017). In the Philippines, the quintennial
stunting, wasting, and other severe illnesses. The three
National Nutrition Survey conducted by the FNRI (2015a)
*Corresponding Author: [email protected] stated that the mortality rates caused by VAD have

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Vol. 149 No. 2, June 2020 Powder to Increase Vitamin A Content

declined over the years. However, the overall prevalence MATERIALS AND METHODS
rate of VAD increased from 5.9% in 2008 to 6.1% in 2013.
Among preschool children, VAD had 20.4% prevalence.
Preparation of Powder from ‘Alugbati’ (Basella alba
Several government and non-government organizations L.) Leaves
and institutions continue to exert efforts in addressing ‘Alugbati’ (green variety) was purchased from Mintal Public
the issue of micronutrient deficiency. Aside from the Market, Davao City, Philippines. The powder was prepared
programs implemented to improve Filipino nutrition, from the fully expanded leaves according to the methods
several product development studies were also conducted. described by Alemayehu et al. (2016) and Chang and Wu
For instance, “Pancit Canton with Squash” and “Rice- (2008) with modifications. The ‘alugbati’ leaves were
Mongo Curls” are made from locally available crops and separated from the stem and then washed with tap water. The
indigenous vegetables (FNRI 2019). leaves were placed on a tray and air-dried for 1–2 h, after which
they were dried in a food dehydrator (Ambiano, Australia) for
Indigenous vegetables are crops that originate from certain 7 h at 70 ºC. The dried leaves were blended to a fine powder
geographical locations, including naturalized species using a blender (Blendtec, USA). The resulting powder was
and/or evolved varieties (Oraye et al. 2017). These are transferred into a sealed plastic bag and stored in a cool, dry
considered good sources of vitamins and minerals and place until use. The powder was partially characterized in terms
can diversify the Filipino diet by providing micronutrients of proximate composition, TCC, and color.
and fiber, leading to increased nutritional intake. However,
indigenous vegetables are generally underutilized due to
the lack of information about crop use and importance and Preparation of ‘Alugbati’ Egg Noodles
the negative notion that regards it as “food for the poor” ‘Alugbati’ egg noodles were prepared according to the
(FAO 2014). In the Philippines, some commonly used formulations described by Alemayehu et al. (2016) with
indigenous vegetables include bitter gourd (‘ampalaya’), some modifications. The 10%, 15%, and 20% of the
squash (‘kalabasa’), and Malabar spinach (‘alugbati’). wheat flour used was replaced with ‘alugbati’ leaves
powder. Noodles without ‘alugbati’ leaves powder were
‘Alugbati’ (Basella alba L.) is primarily utilized as food. also prepared as the control.
It also has medicinal value. The two varieties mainly
used in the country are red-stemmed and green-stemmed. The wheat flour, ‘alugbati’ leaves powder, and salt were
‘Alugbati’ is rich in saponins, xanthone, and other vitamins sifted into a mixing bowl and a well was formed in the
and minerals. It is also regarded as a good source of vitamin center. The wet ingredients (egg yolk and water) were
A. Tongco et al. (2015) reported that fresh ‘alugbati’ leaves then added into the well. The ingredients were mixed and
are relatively high in crude ash and crude protein, which kneaded into a smooth dough, which was wrapped and
signifies that it has a high mineral content and can help rested in a bowl for 1 h at ambient temperature (25 ºC).
address protein energy malnutrition (PEM) in the country. The dough was rolled out into a thin, rectangular sheet using
Thus, ‘alugbati’ can be utilized in food fortification and a rolling pin. The rectangular dough was then passed through
enrichment in certain products, such as noodles. the manual noodle cutter with the rollers consistently dusted
Noodles can be used as carriers of nutrients through the with flour. The width of the noodles was 2 mm. After cutting,
incorporation of plant-based or animal-based ingredients, the noodles were set aside for 1 h (Lee 2014). These were
which can enhance the nutrient content and/or provide then boiled in 1000 mL tap water for 60 s and immediately
specific physiological functions (Alemayehu et al. rinsed with cold water then drained. The noodles were stored
2016). There are already existing products and studies in a sealed plastic bag at 2–3 ºC until further use.
applying vegetables in noodles. However, the utilization of For the cooking quality, the doneness of the noodles was
‘alugbati’ leaves powder in the production of egg noodles determined through obtaining a single strip from the pot and
had not yet been explored. slicing the strip in the middle. The absence of any white spot
This study generally aimed to utilize ‘alugbati’ leaves on the core of the noodle strip indicated that it was cooked.
powder in fresh egg noodles as a good source of vitamin This procedure was done thrice to ensure that the noodles
A. The specific objectives were to (1) characterize were cooked uniformly. The average cooking period was
the ‘alugbati’ leaves powder in terms of proximate then determined from the time obtained from three trials.
composition, TCC, and color; (2) determine the most
preferred formulation of fresh egg noodles with ‘alugbati’ Resistance to Water Disintegration
leaves powder; (3) assess its proximate composition; The ‘alugbati’ egg noodle formulations including the
(4) evaluate its quality in terms of resistance to water control were subjected to a water disintegration test
disintegration, vitamin A content, color, and physical adapted and modified from Fishman et al. (1996). Noodle
characteristics; and (5) assess its consumer acceptability.

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Vol. 149 No. 2, June 2020 Powder to Increase Vitamin A Content

strips were weighed (5 g each) and cut to a length of 5 In calculating the vitamin A content of the product in
cm. These were cooked in 100 mL distilled water at 100 terms of µg RE, the following conversion units were used:
ºC. The time required for the noodle strips to visually
disintegrate was determined. The noodle strips were 1 RE = 1 µg retinol = 12 µg β-carotene
observed qualitatively during the test and those that
Color Analysis
remained undissolved after 20 min were considered
The color of the ‘alugbati’ leaves powder as well as that
resistant to water disintegration.
of the control and the most preferred formulation before
and after cooking was analyzed. The color analysis was
Preference Ranking Test conducted using a colorimeter (Konica Minolta) and was
The four noodle formulations were separately cooked into measured through the CIELAB color values in triplicate
stir-fried noodles. Minced garlic (7 g) and 14 g chopped readings. The color was expressed in three numerical
onions were sautéed, then 64 g julienned carrots, 128 g values: L* indicates lightness, where L* = 0 means
thinly sliced cabbage, and 4 g diced red bell pepper were black and L* = 100 means white. The a* value signifies
added along with 100 g diced chicken breast. Chicken redness (+) and greenness (–), while the b* value implies
broth (238 mL) was poured and the mixture was allowed yellowness (+) and blueness (–) (Khouryieh et al. 2006).
to boil. The egg noodles (250 g) were then added. The Chroma indicates the brightness, vividness, or intensity of
sauce mixture with 5 mL each of sesame oil, soy sauce, the color, while the hue angle describes the hue or intensity
and oyster sauce was incorporated in the mixture and the of the samples. Hue angle and chroma were calculated
noodles were allowed to cook for 3–5 min, after which salt respectively according to the following equations (Levent
was added to taste. The stir-fried noodles were subjected and Yesil 2019).
to a preference ranking test employing 50 untrained
panelists, which included students from 18–22 yr of
age who gave their consent to participate in the sensory (2)
evaluation exercise. The panelists were asked to rank
the four samples based on their preference using a score
sheet with “1” as the most preferred and “4” as the least (3)
preferred. In addition to ranking the products, the panelists
were also asked to qualitatively describe the noodles. In analyzing the color of the egg noodles, “before
cooking” refers to the fresh egg noodles boiled for 60 s
Proximate Analysis prior to cooking, whereas “after cooking” refers to the
The ‘alugbati’ leaves powder, most preferred ‘alugbati’ cooked fresh egg noodles boiled for 3–4 min.
egg noodle formulation (boiled), and the control (boiled)
were subjected to proximate analysis. Samples were Physical Characteristics Evaluation
analyzed for moisture (AOAC 925.10), ash (AOAC The physical characteristics which include tensile strength
923.03), fat (AOAC 920.39C), fiber (AOAC 984.04), and elongation were evaluated using a texture analyzer
and protein (AOAC 984.14) content. The carbohydrate (Model EZ-SX, Shimadzu, Japan). In this analysis, the
content of the powder was calculated by difference (100 noodle tensile jig was used. It conducts tension tests on
– Ash – Protein – Fat – Moisture). samples to assess their elasticity and breaking strength in
tension. The noodles were boiled for 1–3 min and then
TCC Analysis blot dried prior to attachment in the tensile jig. A 10–20
The TCC of the powder and the egg noodle samples was cm noodle strip was obtained from each of the noodle
determined, employing the method of Sahabi et al. (2012). samples. It was looped through the slots and wound round
From this, the TCC of the sample was calculated using parallel friction rollers two or three times. This was done
the equation from Wang and Liu (2009): to reduce any possibility of slippage and to anchor the
ends. The noodle strips were pulled apart until a break
in the extended region occurred (Smewing 2016). The
(1)
jig speed during the test was set at 1 mm/s. The noodles
were analyzed in triplicates at ambient temperature within
5 min after cooking.
where A was the absorbance of the extract at 450 nm, y was
the volume of the extract (mL), was the extinction
coefficient of carotenoids, and w was the weight of the Consumer Acceptability Test
sample (g). The most preferred formulation of the ‘alugbati’ egg
noodles was subjected to a consumer acceptability test

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Vol. 149 No. 2, June 2020 Powder to Increase Vitamin A Content

against plain egg noodles (control). Both samples were Table 1. Proximate composition, TCC, and color of ‘alugbati’ leaves
presented as stir-fried noodles. One hundred panelists who powder.
gave their prior consent to participate in the consumer test Moisture content (%) 12.06 ± 0.36
included children (38%) and adults (62%) with 45% of
Ash (%) 16.17 ± 0.28
the total respondents belonging to the age range of 19–29
years old. Using a nine-point Hedonic Scale, one hundred Crude fat (%) 10.36 ± 0.44
panelists were asked to assess their degree of liking or Crude fiber (%) 4.66 ± 0.45
disliking using a scale of 1 (Dislike Extremely) to 9 (Like Crude protein (%) 21.38 ± 1.58
Extremely). The panelists evaluated the acceptability Carbohydrate content* (%) 40.03
of the product in terms of appearance, texture, flavor,
TCC (µg/g) 11490.00 ± 0.64
and overall acceptability. In addition to determining the
product acceptability, the panelists were also asked to L* 35.83 ± 0.08
give qualitative comments on the ‘alugbati’ egg noodles. a* –81.00 ± 1.73
b* 3.49 ± 0.04
Statistical Analysis Hue angle 177.53 ± 0.02
Data from triplicate experiments were statistically Chroma 81.08 ± 1.73
analyzed using the GNU PSPP 1.0.1-g818227 statistical Values are expressed as means ± SD, n = 3.
analysis software. Results from the preference ranking test *Carbohydrate value was calculated by 100 – Ash – Protein – Fat – Moisture.
were analyzed using Friedman’s test. An independent t-test
was used to analyze results for proximate composition,
TCC, physical characteristics, and consumer acceptability. content of the resultant powder obtained in this study. The
Two-way analysis of variance was used to analyze color. powder also exhibited a high ash content (16.17%), which
The statistical analyses were conducted at 0.05 level of can be attributed to the presence of minerals like calcium,
significance. magnesium, and iron in the vegetable. Moreover, the TCC
of the ‘alugbati’ leaves powder was found to be 11490 µg/g
(Table 1) corresponding to 957.50 µg RE/g. Based on the
Philippine Dietary Reference Intake tables for vitamins,
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for vitamin
A ranges from 400–800 µg RE depending on the age group
Properties of ‘Alugbati’ Leaves Powder and gender (FNRI 2015b). This suggests that the µg RE of
‘Alugbati’ leaves (Figure 1a) were used to obtain 1 g ‘alugbati’ leaves powder from this study exceeds the
‘alugbati’ leaves powder (Figure 1b) at a 15% recovery. RDA for vitamin A by at least 20%. Hence, the ‘alugbati’
The proximate composition and TCC of the powder are leaves powder can be utilized for vitamin A fortification
presented in Table 1. Results indicated that the powder in certain products such as egg noodles.
has a high protein content (21.38%), making it suitable for In terms of color, the ‘alugbati’ leaves powder was
addressing PEM. One study showed that dried ‘alugbati’ significantly darker (L* = 35.83) and had a greener
leaves were relatively high in protein (17.55%) (Tongco shade (a* = –81.00) than wheat flour (L* = 77.41; a* =
et al. 2015), accounting for the corresponding high protein 0.30). The CIELAB color chart shows yellow at 90º and

Figure 1. Fresh ‘alugbati’ leaves (A) and alugbati’ leaves powder prepared by dehydration (B).

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Vol. 149 No. 2, June 2020 Powder to Increase Vitamin A Content

green at 180º. The calculated hue angle of the ‘alugbati’ time exceeding 20 min are considered resistant to water
leaves powder is 177.53º (Table 1), which means that disintegration and, in this study, the noodle strips were
the powder retained the green color of the leaves. The still intact after 20 min. Recent studies showed that aside
chroma of 81.08, on the other hand, means a vivid color. from gluten properties, wheat starch properties also
Color from agricultural produce is derived from natural contribute to the wheat noodle structure (Collado and
pigments such as chlorophyll (green), carotenoids (yellow, Corke 2003). Starch solubility is also directly proportional
orange, and red), water-soluble anthocyanins (red, blue), to temperature (Ahmad and Williams 1998). Noodles
flavonoids (yellow), and betalains (red). However, these that are resistant to water disintegration are a result of
pigments may change as the plant undergoes maturation, satisfactory noodle production and are guaranteed to not
ripening, and processing (Barrett et al. 2010). Noodle fall apart when overcooked.
quality, especially color, depends on the characteristics
of the corresponding flour as well as conditions during Preference ranking test. Results from the preference
noodle preparation (Levent and Yesil 2019). ranking test showed that noodles with 10% and 15%
substitution levels were similarly preferred and significantly
more preferred than the 20% substitution level and the
Properties of Egg Noodles control (Table 2). Compared to the 10% substitution level,
Cooking quality. Three formulations of ‘alugbati’ egg a higher substitution level at 15% also signifies a higher
noodles were developed with 10%, 15%, and 20% amount of ‘alugbati’ and consequently higher fortification
substitution levels, as shown in Figure 2. The average rate. Therefore, the formulation with a 15% substitution
cooking periods for the three formulations were 3 min level was selected for further evaluation. The panelists
and 15 s, 3 min and 6 s, and 2 min and 35 s, respectively, also commented that despite the “unappealing” color of
while the cooking time for the control was 3 min and 25 s. the ‘alugbati’ egg noodles, this product was still preferred
These cooking times coincided with the estimated cooking over the control due to its “distinct flavor.” The control
time for fresh egg noodles (3–4 min) as reported by Tecstra was also described as “heavy and bland.”
Systems (2018). Fresh egg noodles usually cook faster
than dry durum wheat pasta, which usually takes 10–12 Proximate analysis. The proximate composition data
min. The cooking time required to cook noodles depends for the noodles prepared with 15% substitution level and
on the type of noodles, whether it is fresh or dried, pre- the control are listed in Table 3. There was no significant
soaked or not (Lee 2014).
Table 2. Preference ranking test results for the control sample and the
Resistance to water disintegration. Results showed that different ‘alugbati’ egg noodle formulations.
all noodle samples were resistant to water disintegration.
% ‘Alugbati’ leaves powder Rank sum
Disintegration in this context signified the reduction of the
noodles into smaller particles. Noodles with disintegration 0 149b
10 110a
15 109a
20 132b
Rank sums not sharing the same letter are significantly different (p < 0.05); a
lower rank sum indicates a higher preference.

Table 3. Proximate composition, TCC, and RE of the egg noodles.

Egg noodles substituted
Composition with 15% ‘alugbati’ leaves Control (%)
powder (%)
Moisture (%) 64.65a ± 0.67 65.09a ± 0.11
Ash (%) 2.27b ± 0.28 1.40a ± 0.45
Fat (%) 8.95a ± 1.93 6.12a ± 1.25
Fiber (%) 1.77b ± 0.38 1.09a ± 0.08
Protein (%) 11.50b ± 0.11 10.42a ± 0.35
TCC (β-carotene)
1550b ± 0.37 610a ± 0.10
(µg/g)
Figure 2. Egg noodles made with different substitution levels of RE (µg RE) 129.17b 50.83a
‘alugbati’ leaves powder, namely: (A) 10%, (B) 15%, (C) Values in the same row not sharing the same letters are significantly different
20%, and (D) 0% (control). (p < 0.05).

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Vol. 149 No. 2, June 2020 Powder to Increase Vitamin A Content

difference between the moisture content of the ‘alugbati’ significantly higher protein of the egg noodles substituted
egg noodles and the control which ranged from 64.65– with 15% ‘alugbati’ leaves powder. Moreover, the standard
65.09%. Robertson (2016) explained that the moisture crude fat content of vegetable pasta or noodles ranges from
content of fresh noodles is at least 24% and may increase 2%–5% (Stephen 1997). The slightly higher fat content
up to 50–60% when fresh noodles are partially boiled of both samples may be attributed to the addition of egg
for 1–2 min. The high moisture content of the noodles yolks in the formulation.
suggests shorter shelf life than the dried counterpart, hence
the need for refrigeration. TCC. The TCC of ‘alugbati’ egg noodles was significantly
higher than the control (Table 3). The incorporation of the
‘Alugbati’ egg noodles at 15% substitution level exhibited ‘alugbati’ leaves powder increased the TCC by 54.19%.
significantly higher values than the control for crude ash, ‘Alugbati’ is considered to be a good source of vitamin
crude fiber, and crude protein. Crude ash in food samples A, as 1158 IU of vitamin A can be acquired per 100 g of
is an estimate of the total mineral content – including cooked ‘alugbati’ (USDA 2016). Consuming 5–10 g of
calcium, magnesium, and iron. For plain egg noodles, the the ‘alugbati’ egg noodles can help provide the required
maximum ash content is 1.3% (BPPA 2001). Although a RDA of vitamin A for children, lactating and pregnant
good source of energy, noodles have little to no mineral women, adults, and the elderly.
content due to the losses that occur during processing.
Tongco et al. (2015) indicated that dried ‘alugbati’ leaves Vitamin A intakes are usually expressed as RE. The
contained high amounts of ash at 15%. This reported high carotenoids present in the sample were converted to
ash content of the leaves may have contributed to the retinol, the active form of vitamin A. The most common
corresponding high ash content of the resultant powder carotenoids with pro-vitamin A activity are α-carotene and
(16.17%), which was used in the egg noodles. According β-carotene; however, they are susceptible to degradation
to Mihiranie et al. (2017), all-purpose wheat flour has through isomerization and oxidation, which usually
0.49% ash compared to 16.17% ash in ‘alugbati’ leaves happen during cooking (Carvalho et al. 2014).
powder, explaining why the ‘alugbati’ egg noodles had Color profile. There were significant differences in the
significantly higher ash content than the control. For crude L*, a*, b*, hue angle, and chroma values of the ‘alugbati’
fiber, the resulting values were within the standard fiber egg noodles and the control sample both before and after
content for noodles, ranging from 1–3% (Stephen 1997). cooking (Table 4). The use of ‘alugbati’ leaves powder
The ‘alugbati’ leaves powder was shown to increase the significantly lowered the yellowness and increased the
fiber content of the fresh egg noodles. ‘Alugbati’ leaves darkness and greenness of the noodles. This result was
powder contains 4.66% crude fiber, which is higher than expected since the ‘alugbati’ egg noodles had been
the reported value of 0.51% for all-purpose wheat flour incorporated with ‘alugbati’ leaves powder, which is dark
(Mihiranie et al. 2017), accounting for the significantly green in color (refer to Figure 2B and 2D). This is further
higher fiber content of the ‘alugbati’ egg noodles. For shown in the hue angle values wherein the 177.23º of
crude protein, the results obtained were slightly lower than the ‘alugbati’ egg noodles and 91.75º of the control are
the standard protein content for egg noodles, which is from close to the hue angles of green (180º) and yellow (90º),
12–14% (Stephen 1997), as the heat-sensitive proteins respectively. Based on chroma, the ‘alugbati’ egg noodles
may have been denatured during boiling (Li et al. 2017). were more vivid or more color-saturated than the control.
According to the results, incorporation of ‘alugbati’ leaves Cooking also affected the color of the product. The color
powder allowed for higher protein content of the noodles. of the ‘alugbati’ egg noodles and the control significantly
Comparing the protein content of all-purpose wheat flour changed in L* and a* values after cooking. The control
(9.57%) (Mihiranie et al. 2017) with that of ‘alugbati’ noodles had higher hue angle and lower chroma values
leaves powder (21.38%), the latter is higher, causing the after cooking, indicating a further shift from yellow and

Table 4. Color profile of the egg noodle samples before and after cooking.
% Conditions
‘Alugbati’
Before cooking After cooking
leaves
powder L* a* b* Hue angle Chroma L* a* b* Hue angle Chroma
35.89Ac –66.00Ad 3.19Ac 177.23Bc ± 66.08Bc ± 38.33Ad –100.32Ac 5.03Ac 177.13Bc 100.45Bd ±
15
± 0.25 ± 1.73 ± 0.23 0.12 1.74 ± 0.26 ± 0.01 ± 0.14 ± 0.08 0.02
69.03Bc –0.47Bd 15.53Bc 91.75Ac ± 15.54Ad ± 70.34Bd –0.99Bc 13.49Bc 94.20Ad ± 13.53Ac ±
0
± 0.35 ± 0.12 ± 0.75 0.52 0.75 ± 0.61 ± 0.04 ± 0.43 0.24 0.43
ABValues in the same column not sharing the same letters are significantly different (p < 0.05); cdvalues in the same row not sharing the same letters are significantly
different (p < 0.05); before cooking refers to the fresh egg noodles boiled for 60 s prior to cooking; after cooking refers to the cooked fresh egg noodles boiled for 3–4 min.

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Vol. 149 No. 2, June 2020 Powder to Increase Vitamin A Content

decreased color intensity. On the other hand, cooking the ‘alugbati’ egg noodles had high protein content but
did not significantly affect the hue angle of the ‘alugbati’ the type of protein present did not have the visco-elastic
egg noodles, preserving the greenness of the product. property of gluten, resulting in noodles with lower
Moreover, the ‘alugbati’ egg noodles had a more intense elasticity (Ahmed et al. 2016).
color after 3–4 min of cooking. Measuring the color
of new food products developed is necessary as this Consumer acceptability. The ‘alugbati’ egg noodles
physical parameter directly affects the initial acceptance with a 15% substitution level were further subjected to
of consumers (Cheng and Bhat 2016). a consumer acceptability test against the control using
a nine-point Hedonic scale. There was no significant
Physical characteristics. The ‘alugbati’ egg noodles were difference in consumer acceptability between the two
also subjected to tensile strength and elongation tests and samples in terms of appearance, texture, flavor, and overall
compared to the control (Table 5). These tests were used acceptability. The mean Hedonic scores of the ‘alugbati’
to measure elasticity and the distance to which a product egg noodles ranged from 7.20–7.80 for all sensory
can be extended or stretched before breaking (SMS 2017). attributes, which means that the product was generally
acceptable and substitution with ‘alugbati’ leaves powder
did not significantly alter the sensory characteristics of the
Table 5. Physical characteristics of the egg noodle samples. egg noodles. Most of the panelists also found the ‘alugbati’
% ‘Alugbati’ leaves Tensile strength Elongation egg noodles “tasty and delicious” (Table 6). Comments
powder (N) (mm) regarding the color of the product mostly consisted of
15 0.015a ± 0.003 16.01a ± 3.060 “unusual” and “unique.” While Asenstorfer et al. (2006)
explained that people prefer the shining or light-colored
0 0.021a ± 0.004 34.96b ± 1.352
yellow noodles than the dark-colored ones, which are
Values in the same column not sharing the same letters are significantly different
(p < 0.05).
generally viewed as less attractive, this study showed no
significant difference in consumer acceptability in terms
of the appearance of both products.
Table 6. Qualitative comments on the egg noodle samples.
Egg noodles substituted with
Control
15% ‘alugbati’ leaves powder
Comment Number of panelists Comment Number of panelists
Tasty and delicious 9 Slightly bland 3
Evident ‘alugbati’ taste/aroma 3 Good taste 2
Good and balanced flavor 2 Good flavor 1
Moderately good aroma 1 Heavy 1
Good texture 2 Good texture 1
Unusual and unique color/appearance 5 Overpowering oily texture 1

Results showed that there was no significant difference CONCLUSION

between the tensile strength of the two samples, signifying
that both samples needed the same amount of force to The general objective of the present study was to develop
break. However, it can be observed that the ‘alugbati’ egg a product utilizing ‘alugbati’ leaves powder in fresh egg
noodles had significantly lower elasticity as described by noodles as a good source of vitamin A. The ‘alugbati’
lower elongation values compared to the control as the leaves powder, which had a dark green color, was shown
former broke faster when stretched. This may have been to be relatively high in ash and crude protein. The high
caused by the variation in the amounts of wheat flour RE of the powder also signified that it can be utilized
incorporated in the noodle samples. The gluten strength for vitamin A fortification. Results from the preference
of the wheat flour in the ‘alugbati’ egg noodle may have ranking test on fresh egg noodles with ‘alugbati’ leaves
been diluted due to the substitution with ‘alugbati’ leaves powder indicated that a substitution level of 15% was
powder. Substitution of wheat flour would render the the most preferred formulation. This was thus subjected
gluten matrix impaired, leading to a weakened noodle to further evaluation.
texture (Ritthiruangdej et al. 2011). The sufficient The ‘alugbati’ egg noodles with 15% substitution level
elasticity of the matrix is important for better processing had significantly higher ash (2.27 ± 0.28), fiber (1.77 ±
and eating properties of the final product. In this study, 0.38), and protein (11.50 ± 0.11) contents compared to the

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Vol. 149 No. 2, June 2020 Powder to Increase Vitamin A Content

control. This increase may be attributed to the nutrients ASENSTORFER RE, WANG Y, MARES DJ. 2006.
and minerals added by the ‘alugbati’ leaves powder in Chemical structure of flavonoid compounds in wheat
the noodle composition. The noodles were also resistant (Triticum aestivum L.) flour that contribute to the yel-
to water disintegration. Consuming the product can help low color of Asian alkaline noodles. Journal of Cereal
provide the recommended dietary allowance of vitamin Science 43(1): 108–119.
A especially for children, pregnant and lactating women,
BARRETT DM, BEAULIEU JC, SHEWFELT R.
and the elderly. Moreover, the ‘alugbati’ leaves powder
2010. Color, flavor, texture, and nutritional quality
can be incorporated into other products that need fortifying
of fresh-cut fruits and vegetables: desirable levels,
as it has a relatively high TCC.
instrumental and sensory measurement, and the effects
The noodles with a 15% substitution level had significantly of processing. Critical Reviews in Food Science and
darker, less yellow, greener, and more intense color. This Nutrition 50(5): 369–389.
result was expected due to the incorporation of ‘alugbati’ BLACK R. 2003. Micronutrient deficiency—an underly-
leaves powder which had a dark green color. Results also ing cause of morbidity and mortality. Bulletin of the
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lower elasticity (elongation = 16.01 mm) compared to the
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