Abstract:

Basil is a plant consumed fresh and dried in Mediterranean cuisine. The effect of drying on antioxidant activity, total phenolic content, ascorbic acid content and color of Ocimum bacilicum L. from Turkey was investigated. The samples were dried by two methods: sun drying (RH 43-55% for 2 days) and microwave drying (400 watts for 8 min). Total phenolics contents were ranged from 34.1 to 62.2 mg GAE/g DM). The antioxidant activity based on the DPPH IC50 assay of the basil extracts varied from 104 to 149.7. The initial content of ascorbic acid in basil was 134.3 mg/ 100g. The ascorbic acid content of sun and microwave dried samples were 32.5, 25.5 mg/ 100g, respectively. The values for the L*, a* and b* coordinates of the fresh basil were 55.14, -17.13 and 27.76, sun and microwave dried basil samples were 45.63, -1.73, 16.79, and 39.17, -12.19, 21.62, respectively. As a result of this study, it was determined that dried basil samples contain more total phenolic component and have more antioxidant activity than fresh basil samples. It is also possible to deduce from the results that heat-drying causes high levels of ascorbic acid degradation and causes significant changes in color materials.

Keywords: