| Bitter melon (Mormodica charantia L) has been reported to have hypoglycemic, anti atherogenic and anti HIV activities. The vegetable has a bitter taste caused by two triterpene glycosides, momordicosides K and L. The purpose of this research was to investigate the effect of various processing methods on the bitterness of the Sri-Lanka variety of bitter melon (BM). Liquid Chromatography- Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry (LC/ESI/MS) was used to analyze methanolic extracts of fresh and processed BM samples. Momordicoside K and L were identified on an extracted ion chromatograph (EIC) using their intact molecular ion mass to charge ratios, their corresponding a-glycone mass to charge ratios (487.4 for momordicoside K and 473.4 momordicoside L) and their retention times. To determine consumer acceptance, five point "Just About Right", 9-point hedonic scale and 7-point intensity scale were used. Frying masked the bitterness without removing the bitter compounds. Blanching reduced bitterness by removing bitter compounds as shown by EIC data and low bitterness score (4.4). Bitter masking with MY 68 may have interfered with the extraction of momordicosides but did not reduce bitterness as observed with a high bitterness score of 5.3. Freeze drying had no effect on bitterness. |
