Comparative iodometric analysis of vitamin C content in fruit juices and sugar cane juice samples from Ijebu-Ode market, Ogun State, South West Nigeria

Abstract

Despite the abundance of fruits in tropical Africa, health conditions associated with the deficiency of vitamin C remain prevalent, highlighting the need for determining Vitamin C content in fruits with a simple analytical technique so as to make possible recommendations. The goal of this research work was to determine the concentration of Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid) in some selected commonly consumed tropical fruits in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun state by redox titration using an iodometric method and starch indicator. The blank titration was also carried out to reduce or eliminate any error associated with the method and procedure (Determinate error). Fruits found to have high levels of ascorbic acid include oranges (57.92 ± 0.058), Lemon (49.53 ± 0.61), lime (48.61 ± 0.10), tangerine (40.60 ± 0.38) and grape (37.58 ± 0.058) mg/100 mL Other fruits, including banana (29.54 ±0.22), sugar cane juice (28.36 ± 0.12), tomato (26.70 ± 3.24), mango (26.34 +0 18) and watermelon (24 10 ± 0.12) mg/100 mL, had moderate levels of ascorbic acid. Pineapple had the lowest ascorbic acid content (23.60 ± 0.21) mg/100 mL. The results obtained using the above technique is generally comparable with other techniques, but large differences were obtained for some fruits. The findings generated from this research work could serve as a guide in the selection of fruits with appreciable concentrations of vitamin C, hence indicating them as good nutritional antioxidants.