Potassium content in partially cooked vegetables

Abstract

　Partially cooked vegetables can easily be prepared into an intended dish after briefly being cooked fully, which is why their use is assumed to lead to an increase in vegetable intake. However, partially cooked vegetables are thought to lose water-soluble components due to pretreatment in the manufacturing process. Focusing on potassium as a water-soluble component, the current study sought to ascertain the potassium content in partially cooked vegetables. The samples used were partially cooked vegetables for use in pork in miso soup, stewed chicken and root vegetables, and curry. Samples labeled as "boiled in water" all had to be drained. Samples were categorized by ingredients, diluted to about 10-fold their weight, and homogenized. The potassium content in the diluted solution was measured. Results indicated that many of the samples labeled as "boiled in water" had a significantly lower potassium content (p＜0.01) than samples that were not so labeled. This is presumably due to the method and duration of pre-treatment of the partially cooked vegetables during the manufacturing process. Partially cooked vegetables can be used as a source of dietary fiber and components other than water-soluble components. If the characteristics of partially cooked vegetables are known and raw ingredients are added, the use of partially cooked vegetables could lead to increased vegetable intake.