Determination of Ascorbic Acid Contents of Fruits and Vegetables

Ascorbic acid contents of some fruits and vegetables in Abakaliki were analyzed through titrimetric methods. The results recorded the concentrations (mg/100g) of ascorbic acids in various fruits as orange (15.47 ± 0.23), lemon (12.87 ± 0.45), grape (2.00 ± 0.10), paw-paw (46.40 ± 1.65), apple (2.20 ± 0.10), banana (1.87 ± 0.06), carrot (1.80 ± 0.04), pineapple (2.80 ± 0.10), water melon (2.27 ± 0.12), cucumber (1.20 ± 0.02) and mango (10.40 ± 0.20) while the concentrations (mg/100g) of ascorbic acids in vegetables recorded pepper (13.27 ± 2.01), cabbage (4.40 ± 0.16), water leaf (1.53 ± 0.03), green amaranthus (11.73 ± 0.46) and pumpkin (4.93 ± 0.31). Paw-paw contained the highest concentration among the tested fruits while orange, lemon and mango showed relatively moderate contents of ascorbic acid. Pepper and green amaranthus recorded higher levels of ascorbic acids in vegetables with water leaf having the least concentrations in those vegetables.