CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITIES OF BEETROOT PEEL.
Proximate, mineral and antioxidant properties of beetroot (Beta vulgaris) peel were investigated using standard analytical techniques. Result for proximate revealed that moisture content was 30.88%, ash content (10.58%), crude fat (3.29%), crude fiber (6.98%), crude protein (4.10%) and carbohydrate (44.17%). The mineral composition (mg/g) also showed that sodium was 4.17%, iron (26.46%), copper (0.21%), magnesium (5.91%), potassium (13.82%) and phosphorus (11.57%) while zinc and calcium were not at detectable range of AAS. There was no activity for its antioxidant property. The results obtained from this analysis shows that Beetroot peel is a good source of carbohydrates, protein, ash, fiber, lipid and moisture, it also contained some mineral contents such as copper, phosphorous and iron which are required by the body to function effectively. Its consumption is therefore advertised instead of regarding it as a waste material. Keywords: antioxidant, investigation, mineral, peel, proximate