title: Variation in bioactive content in broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) grown under conventional and organic production systems.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables contain a number of bioactive compounds, in particular glucosinolates and polyphenols, which are proposed to confer health benefits to the consumer. Demand for organic crops is at least partly based on a perception that organic crops may contain higher levels of bioactive compounds; however, insufficient research has been carried out to either support or refute such claims.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In this study we examined the effect of conventional, organic, and mixed cultivation practices on the content of total phenolics, total flavonoids, and total and individual glucosinolates in two varieties of broccoli grown over 2 years in a split-plot factorial systems comparison trial. Levels of total phenolics and total flavonoids showed a significant year-on-year variation but were not significantly different between organic and conventional production systems. In contrast, levels of the indolyl glucosinolates glucobrassicin and neoglucobrassicin were significantly higher (P < 0.05) under fully organic compared to fully conventional management.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Organic cultivation practices resulted in significantly higher levels of glucobrassicin and neoglucobrassicin in broccoli florets; however, other investigated compounds were unaffected by production practices.
authors: Teagasc, Ashtown Food Research Centre, Ashtown, Dublin 15, Ireland; Monaghan Mushrooms, Tyholland, Co., Monaghan, Ireland.
authors: Juan
authors: J
authors: Valverde
authors: Kim
authors: K
authors: Reilly
authors: Salvador
authors: S
authors: Villacreces
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Gaffney
authors: James
authors: J
authors: Grant
authors: Nigel
authors: N
authors: Brunton
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture; D001937:Brassica / Q000378:metabolism*; D004032:Diet; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000378:metabolism*; D058870:Food, Organic / Q000032:analysis*; D005961:Glucosinolates / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007211:Indoles / Q000378:metabolism*; D058871:Organic Agriculture / Q000379:methods*; D010636:Phenols / Q000378:metabolism*; D014675:Vegetables
chemical_list: D005419:Flavonoids; D005961:Glucosinolates; D007211:Indoles; D010636:Phenols; C555404:neoglucobrassicin; C048308:glucobrassicin
keywords: Brassica oleracea; glucobrassicin; glucosinolates; neoglucobrassicin; organic agriculture; phenolic compounds