Abstract:

This study was conceived to analyze the nutritional value and prospect of the tender stems of Triarrhena
lutarioriparia growing on the beach of Dongting Lake. The fresh samples were peeled and separated into two portions:
one was blanched before refrigerated storage, and the other was directly refrigerated. The two portions were tested for
major chemical components. The results showed the fresh and blanched tender stems to contain 91.86% and 89.82%
moisture, 3.08% and 3.72% total sugar, 1.10% and 1.86% reducing sugar, 2.90% and 3.55% protein, 31.81% and
43.67% total dietary fiber (dry basis), and 0.36% and 0.33% total ash (dry basis), respectively. The tender stems of
Triarrhena lutarioriparia was found to contain 15 amino acids and a number of elements including Ka, Na, Ca, Mg, Mn,
Zn, Cu, and Se but no Pb, Cd or Cr, as well as lower amounts of Hg and As than the national standard limits of China.

Key words: Dongting Lake, Triarrhena lutarioriparia tender stem, nutrients, heavy metal