NUTRITIONAL AND ANTINUTRITIONAL EVALUATION OF GRAPE FRUIT (Citrus paradisi) JUICE USING DIFFERENT EXTRACTION METHODS

The juice of grape fruit (Citrus paradisi MacFad) when extracted contains various nutrients and antinutrients. The effect of different extraction methods (hand squeezing, use of blender and use of juice extractor) on these nutrients and antinutrients was investigated in this study. Hand squeezing produced juice with the highest moisture (91.23 ± 0.08%), ash (0.27 ± 0.01%) and protein (1.96 ± 0.02%) contents while the juice extractor had juice with highest carbohydrate content (6.92 ± 0.10%). The minerals were highest in the hand squeezed fruit juice. Calcium content was highest in the grape fruit juice samples and ranged from 2.35 ± 0.02% - 2.38 ±0.02%. The vitamin C content was highest (54.31 ± 0.02%) in the juice extracted with the fruit juice extractor. Of all the antinutrients, flavonoids had the highest concentration and ranged from 2.17 ± 0.03 – 2.76 ± 0.03% while pectin had the lowest concentration of 0.002 ± 0.001 –0.006 ± 0.001% in the fruit juice samples. Consumption of grape fruit is advised due to the presence of essential nutrients that possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor activities. Extraction of the juice using juice extractor which produced minimal antinutrients and highest Vitamin C is therefore advised.