Mineral composition and nutritional properties of Trachystemon orientalis (L.) G. Don populations in the Central Black Sea Region of Turkey

This study was conducted to determine the mineral contents and some nutritional properties of Trachystemon orientalis L. growing in the Central Black Sea Region, Turkey, and that is consumed as vegetable. Surveys and field studies were started during the spring semester of 2011 (April–May) and they were collected from Samsun and Ordu, where they are intense. In the study, it is was observed that pH, dry matter, content of ash, N, protein, vitamin C, macro- and microelements examined in Trachystemon orientalis varied considerably. The pH, dry matter, ash, N, protein and C content of the plants ranged from 6.61 to 6.88, 13.0 to 22.1%, 9.2 to 17.0%, 2.3 to 3.3%, 14.1 to 20.3 % and 0.12 to 39.03 mg/100g, respectively. Mineral analysis showed that Trachystemon orientalis contained considerably high amounts of potassium (3883.8 to 5791.4 mg/100g), phosphorus (339.7 to 540.9 mg/100 g), calcium (159.4 to 432.4 mg/100g), magnesium (108.0 to 176.4 mg/100 g), iron (10.7 to 63.1 mg/100 g), sodium (22.1 to 66.3 mg/100g), copper (0.6 to 1.5 mg/100 g), manganese (1.5 to 3.6 mg/100g) and zinc (2.3 to 7.6 mg/100g). Mineral compositions of the plants varied significantly depending on the genotypes. T. orientalis was determined as abundant in contents of vitamin C, minerals and protein.