Evaluation of the nutritional composition and nutraceuticals of Bambusa beecheyana and Dendrocalamus latiflorus shoots

Bamboo shoots are increasingly recognized as promising sources of nutrients and bioactive compounds. However, comprehensive nutritional data for many commercially important species, particularly regarding the effects of common processing methods, such as boiling, remain limited. This study characterized the nutritional composition and nutraceutical properties of two commercially important bamboo species, Bambusa beecheyana and Dendrocalamus latiflorus, in fresh and boiled forms. Proximate analysis showed high moisture content (92-94 g/100 g wb). On a dry basis, B. beecheyana contains significantly more protein (41.68 g/100 g db) than D. latiflorus (26.06 g/100 g db). Both species were rich in dietary fiber (38.16-49.44 g/100 g db). Amino acid profiling identified 18 amino acids, with aspartic and glutamic acids being the predominant ones. B. beecheyana exhibited higher phytosterol content (4.66 mg/100 g db) than D. latiflorus (1.98 mg/100 g db), with β-sitosterol as the major sterol. It also demonstrated superior total phenolic content (TPC, 204.42 mg GAE/100 g db) and DPPH radical scavenging activity (30.18 mg AAE/100 g db). Boiling significantly increased moisture (1.43-1.97%), fat (129-229%), phytosterol (44.44-45.92%), and phenolic contents (91.40-144.71%), but reduced protein (0.26-62.32%), ash (40.60%), and DPPH radical scavenging activity (7.23-12.62%). These findings offer novel insights into the nutritional quality of underutilized bamboo shoots, supporting their potential incorporation into functional foods and dietary strategies that aim to enhance nutritional diversity and sustainability.