Hot Air-Assisted Radio Frequency (HARF) Drying on Wild Bitter Gourd Extract.

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Food Science
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Wild bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L. var. abbreviata S.) is a traditional Chinese medicine and edible plant.
• Its extract contains bioactive compounds like saponins, polysaccharides, and proteins, with known blood sugar-regulating properties.
• Diabetes management remains a significant global health challenge, necessitating novel therapeutic approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate simultaneous hot air-assisted radio frequency (HARF) drying and pasteurization of wild bitter gourd extract.
• To evaluate the effects of HARF-dried bitter gourd extract on blood glucose levels in type II diabetic mice.

Main Methods:

• Wild bitter gourd was extracted using focused ultrasonic extraction (FUE) at 70°C for 10 minutes with a 1:10 powder-to-water ratio.
• The concentrated extract was mixed with soybean fiber powder (2:1.1 ratio) and dried using HARF.
• HARF drying achieved >80°C in 12 minutes, reducing moisture from 58% to 15% and pasteurizing the sample.
• Type II diabetic mice were fed a diet containing 5% HARF-dried bitter gourd extract for four weeks.

Main Results:

• HARF drying efficiently reduced moisture content and achieved pasteurization, significantly lowering total bacterial and mold counts.
• Mice fed the HARF-dried bitter gourd extract did not exhibit increased fasting blood glucose levels.
• The study confirmed the hypoglycemic potential of the dried wild bitter gourd extract.

Conclusions:

• Simultaneous HARF drying and pasteurization is an effective method for processing wild bitter gourd extract.
• The HARF-dried wild bitter gourd extract possesses hypoglycemic properties beneficial for managing type II diabetes.
• This processing technique preserves the bioactive components of bitter gourd, offering a potential functional food ingredient.