Singh, IJPSR, 2016; Vol. 7(2): 852-855.

E-ISSN: 0975-8232; P-ISSN: 2320-5148

IJPSR (2016), Vol. 7, Issue 2 (Research Article)

Received on 07 August, 2015; received in revised form, 03 November, 2015; accepted, 16 January, 2016; published 01 February, 2016

EVALUATION OF ANTI-OXIDANT PROPERTIES OF WHEAT GRASS POWDER AS

AFFECTED BY DIFFERENT DRYING PROCESSES
Pallavi Singh
Junior Research Fellow, Department of Foods and Nutrition, Ethelind School of Home Science, Sam
Higginbottom Institute of Agriculture, Technology & Sciences, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Keywords: ABSTRACT: Wheatgrass is one grass that has been demonstrated to be of
particular use to humans as a nutritional source of vitamins, enzymes, minerals,
Wheat Grass Powder,
Chlorophyll, Antioxidant Properties trace minerals and chlorophyll in addition to its various health benefits. Wheat
grass in powder form is a method for preserving wheat grass nutrients with long
Correspondence to Author: shelf life and use of wheat grass powder is more convenient than wheat grass
Pallavi Singh juice. Objective: To estimate the antioxidant properties of wheat grass powder
Mahaveer Nagar. Civil Lines obtained by different drying methods. Research Design: Different drying
Chauraha, Near Jain Mandir, methods used for preparation of wheat grass powder were 1) Hot air oven drying
Raebareli, 229001, U.P., India. [50˚C, 6 hr and 60˚C, 5hr] 2) Microwave drying [600W, 15 min and 800 W, 10
min] 3) Vacuum oven drying [50˚C, 25kPa, 6 hr]. For estimation of the
E-mail: [email protected]
antioxidant properties of wheat grass powder samples, chlorophyll content, Total
Phenol Content and % Anti-Radical Activity were measured. Result: In the
quantitative analysis of antioxidant component, microwave dried wheat grass
powder samples [600W, 15 min] had highest mean value of total phenol content
(25.20), chlorophyll (23.33) and 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picryllhydrazyl scavenging
ability (58.29) in comparison with the other samples of the wheat grass powder
obtained by hot air oven drying and vacuum oven drying. Thus it was observed
that microwave drying method was the best in comparison to other methods to
prepare the wheat grass powder and utilize it daily life.

INTRODUCTION: The mature sprouts of Wheat Wheat grass in powder form is a method for
seeds (Triticumaestivum) known as Wheat Grass preserving wheat grass nutrients which consistently
and it is one grass that has been demonstrated to be achieving protein assays exceeding forty percent
of particular use to humans as a good nutritional and which also has optimally high levels of live
source. Wheatgrass is a good source of calcium, enzymes and readily absorbable minerals as well as
iron, sodium, potassium, and magnesium, as well trace minerals for use in maintaining good human
as trace minerals, all B Vitamins, pro-Vitamin A, health and enhanced resistance to disease 2.
Vitamin E, and Vitamin K. In addition, wheatgrass
has seventeen amino acids, eight live enzymes, and Wheatgrass contains an abundance of chlorophyll
chlorophyll 1. and structure of chlorophyll is similar to that of
hemoglobin, which makes it possible for our body
QUICK RESPONSE CODE to convert chlorophyll into hemoglobin. So
DOI:
10.13040/IJPSR.0975-8232.7(2).852-55 chlorophyll increases the hemoglobin index in
human body, which makes it the best choice for
treating anemia. In addition, chlorophyll and %
Article can be accessed online on:
www.ijpsr.com anti-radical activity of wheat grass is more
powerful than any other remedies in helping the
DOI link: http://dx.doi.org/10.13040/IJPSR.0975-8232.7 (2).852-55 human body resists carcinogens. It strengthens the

International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research 852

Singh, IJPSR, 2016; Vol. 7(2): 852-855. E-ISSN: 0975-8232; P-ISSN: 2320-5148

functions of liver, neutralizes toxic compounds as drying (50˚C, 6 Hour and 60˚C, 5hr), microwave
well as eliminates toxins in blood 3. drying (600 W, 15 min and 800 W, 10 min) and
vacuum oven drying (50˚C, 15lb, and 7hr). Dried
MATERIALS AND METHODS: leaves grinded in powdered form and stored for the
Procurement of raw material: analysis.
The wheat grass leaves grown indoors in the mud
pots and it was cut when the wheatgrass growth Chemical analysis:
was at the first node stage having length of 10-12 The anti-oxidant activity of wheat grass powder
inches, known as pre-jointing stage. were analyzed by % anti-radical activity estimation
by 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picryllhydrazyl method, Total
Experimental Site: phenol content estimation by mg gallic acid
Research Laboratory of the Centre of Food equivalent/g dry weight method and chlorophyll
Technology, University of Allahabad, Allahabad. content estimation by Arnon (1949) 4 method.
Statistical analysis of the data- F- test was applied
Method of preparation of wheat grass powder: for analysis of variance to find the significant
The fresh wheat grass leaves was collected for difference in the means of the sample.
washing, sorting, cutting and grading to remove
micro-organism and dirt. After that leaves were RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS:
dried by different drying methods i.e. hot air oven
TABLE 1: AVERAGE CHLOROPHYLL CONTENT (mg/100g) OF WHEAT GRASS POWDER OBTAINED BY DIFFERENT
DRYING PROCESSES
DRYING Sum of Mean Fcal
N Mean Sd. ANOVA df Ftab
VARIATIONS Squares Square (0.05)
HAO Between
3 279.000 4.5825 3242.26 4 810.56 12.56
(50 C /6 H) Groups
HAO Within
3 306.000 8.0000 645.333 10 64.533 3.48*
(60 C /5 H) Groups
MW
3 322.333 7.0237 Total 3887.60 14
(600 W/ 15 m)
MW
3 310.666 11.015
(800 W/ 10 m)
VAC
3 295.000 8.1853
(1)
Total 15 302.600 16.663
*Significant p ≤ (0.05)

The data illustrated in the above table shows that The data illustrated in the above table shows
Fcal (12.56)>Ftab (3.48), then there is significant thatFcal (12.56)>Ftab (3.48), then there is
difference in the mean scores of the chlorophyll significant difference in the mean scores of the %
content in the samples of wheat grass powder anti-radical activity in the samples of wheat grass
obtained by different drying process. It is evident powder obtained by different drying process. It is
from the ANOVA table that the mean score of evident from the ANOVA table that the mean score
chlorophyll content of wheat grass powder of % anti-radical activity of wheat grass powder
prepared by microwave drying [600W, 15 min] is obtained by microwave drying [600W, 15 min] is
the highest (322.3) and is significantly (p ≤ 0.05) the highest (58.2) and is significantly (p ≤ 0.05)
higher than the wheat grass powder obtained by higher than the wheat grass powder prepared by
microwave drying [800 W, 10 min.] (310.6), hot air microwave drying [800 W, 10 min.] (55.5), hot air
oven drying [60˚C, 5hr] (306), vacuum oven drying oven drying [50˚C, 6hr] (53.9), vacuum oven
[50˚C, 15lb, 6 hr] (295) and hot air oven drying drying [50˚C, 15lb, 6 hr] (49.9) and hot air oven
[50˚C, 6hr] (279). In a similar study, it has been drying [60˚C, 5hr] (33.0).
observed that the average chlorophyll content of
the wheat grass was 540 mg/100g 5.

International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research 853

Singh, IJPSR, 2016; Vol. 7(2): 852-855. E-ISSN: 0975-8232; P-ISSN: 2320-5148

TABLE 2: AVERAGE % ANTI-RADICAL ACTIVITY (PERCENTAGE) OF WHEAT GRASS POWDER OBTAINED BY

DIFFERENT DRYING PROCESSES
Sum of Mean Fcal
Drying Variations N Mean Sd. ANOVA df Ftab
Squares Square (0.05
HAO Between
3 53.910 .38743 1207.94 4 301.98 267.72
(50 C /6 H) Groups
HAO Within
3 33.023 1.3687 11.280 10 1.128 3.48*
(60 C /5 H) Groups
MW
3 58.293 .85237 Total 1219.22 14
(600 W/ 15 m)
MW
3 55.520 .66091
(800 W/ 10 m)
VAC
3 49.953 1.5662
(1)
Total 15 50.140 9.3320
*Significant p ≤ (0.05)

TABLE 3: AVERAGE TOTAL PHENOL CONTENT (mg G.A/gm) OF WHEAT GRASS POWDER OBTAINED BY
DIFFERENT DRYING PROCESSES
Fcal
Drying Variations N Mean Sd. ANOVA Sum of Squares df Mean Square Ftab
(0.05)
HAO
3 24.0067 .48521 Between Groups 6.580 4 1.645 11.25 3.48*
(50 C /6 H)
HAO
3 23.2700 .03606 Within Groups 1.461 10 .146
(60 C /5 H)
MW
3 25.2033 .53003 Total 8.041 14
(600 W/ 15 m)
MW
3 24.7233 .44501
(800 W/ 10 m)
VAC
3 24.5533 .12220
(1)
Total 15 24.3513 .75785
*Significant p ≤ (0.05)

The data illustrated in the above table shows that microwave drying [600W, 15 min] is the highest
Fcal (12.56)>Ftab (3.48), then there is significant (25.2) and is significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher than the
difference in the mean scores of the total phenol wheat grass powder prepared by microwave drying
content of different samples of wheat grass powder [800 W, 10 min.] (24.7), hot air oven drying [50˚C,
obtained by different drying process. It is evident 6hr] (24), vacuum oven drying [50˚C, 15lb, 6 hr]
from the ANOVA table that the mean score of total (24.5) and hot air oven drying [60˚C, 5hr] (23.3).
phenol content of wheat grass powder obtained by

FIG.1: ANTIOXIDANT PROPERTIES OF WHEAT GRASS POWDER SAMPLES

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Singh, IJPSR, 2016; Vol. 7(2): 852-855. E-ISSN: 0975-8232; P-ISSN: 2320-5148

CONCLUSION: From the results summarized 5. Kulkarni SD, Acharya R, Rajurkar NS and Reddy AVR.
Evaluation of bio-accessibility of some essential elements
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I want to Gastroenterology 2002; 37(4):444-449.
acknowledge my Advisor Mrs. Reena Chaturvedi 9. Das A, Raychaudhuri U and Chakraborty R: Effect of
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during my project work and my friends and family and Nutrition 2011; 31(1):644-769.
members who encouraged me a lot for completion 10. James S and Phyllis A (2007) Compositional, Nutritional
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Editor, IJPSR who published my research paper in Preservation 15(1):63-77.
their journal which gives identification to my 11. Kulkarni SD, Acharya R, Rajurkar NS and Reddy AVR:
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How to cite this article:

Singh P: Evaluation of Anti-Oxidant Properties of Wheat Grass Powder as Affected by Different Drying Processes”. Int J Pharm Sci Res
2016; 7(2): 852-55.doi: 10.13040/IJPSR.0975-8232.7(2).852-55.

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