The influence of processing and preservation on the retention of health-promoting compounds in broccoli.
In this work the effects of common household practices such as chilling, freezing, and cooking on vitamin C retention in broccoli (Marathon cv.), as well as their influence on the release of sulforaphane upon enzymatic hydrolysis of glucoraphanin by the endogenous enzyme myrosinase, were investigated. When chilled at 6 degrees C and 95% R.H. for 35 d, broccoli showed a vitamin C and sulforaphane loss of about 39% and 29%, respectively, while storage at -18 degrees C for 60 d resulted in similar losses, but mainly due to the blanching step. Boiling, steaming, microwaving, pressure-cooking, and the combined use of pressure and microwaves were the cooking methods investigated. Boiling and steaming caused significant vitamin C losses, 34% and 22%, respectively, while with the other treatments more than 90% retention was observed. Sulforaphane was no more detectable after boiling or steaming, while pressure/microwave cooking did not cause any significant loss. The quantitative distribution of these moieties in the florets and stems of fresh and chilled broccoli was also investigated.
Galgano
F
F
Dept. di Biologia, Difesa e Biotecnologie Agro-Forestali, Univ. degli Studi della Basilicata, Viale dell'Ateneo Lucano, 10 85100, Potenza, Italy.
Favati
F
F
Caruso
M
M
Pietrafesa
A
A
Natella
S
S
D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents / Q000032:analysis; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000032:analysis*; D001937:Brassica / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000592:standards; D003296:Cooking / Q000379:methods; D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods*; D005519:Food Preservation / Q000379:methods*; D058870:Food, Organic; D006801:Humans; D017879:Isothiocyanates; D008872:Microwaves; D009753:Nutritive Value; D011312:Pressure; D013454:Sulfoxides; D013696:Temperature; D013861:Thiocyanates / Q000032:analysis*; D013997:Time Factors
D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D017879:Isothiocyanates; D013454:Sulfoxides; D013861:Thiocyanates; C016766:sulforaphane; D001205:Ascorbic Acid