Increasing Antioxidant Content of Broccoli Sprouts Using Essential Oils During Cold Storage
Agriculture (Poľnohospodárstvo), 62, 2016 (3): 111−126 DOI: 10.1515/agri-2016-0012 Original paper INCREASING ANTIOXIDANT CONTENT OF BROCCOLI SPROUTS USING ESSENTIAL OILS DURING COLD STORAGE AML A. EL-AWADY*1, WESAM I. A. SABER2, NABIL M. ABDEL HAMID3 AND HANAA A. HASSAN4 1Department of Vegetable Postharvest and Handling Research, Horticulture Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Giza, Egypt 2Microbial Activity Unit, Microbiology Department, Soils, Water and Environment Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Giza, Egypt 3Biochemistry Department, Pharmacy College, Kafrelsheikh University, Egypt 4Department of Zoology, Division of Physiology, Faculty of Science, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt AML A. EL-AWADY – WESAMI I.A. SABER – NABIL M. ABDEL HAMID – HANAA A. HASSAN: Increasing antioxidant content of broccoli sprouts using essential oils during cold storage. Agriculture (Poľnohospodárstvo), vol. 62, 2016, no. 3, pp. 111–126. Broccoli sprouts are natural functional foods for cancer prevention because of their high content of glucosinolate and antioxidant. Sprouts and mature broccoli are of potential importance in devising chemoprotective strategies in humans.The aim of the investigation was to study the effect of essential oils on broccoli seed germination, increase their antioxidant content and determine the glucosinolate concentration and other phytochemical parameters in 3-day -old sprouts during cold storage at 4°C and 95% RH for 15 days. The results showed that all treatments of essential oils increased germination index, seed germination percentage, seedling length, seedling vigour index, yield and the antioxidant content of broccoli sprout and reduced the microbial load compared to the control. Fortunately, the co- liform bacteria was not detected in all treatments. Different essential oils of fennel, caraway, basil, thyme and sage were tested.
[Show full text]