European Food Research and Technology

, Volume 235, Issue 5, pp 793–800 | Cite as

Effect of ethanol treatment on quality and antioxidant activity in postharvest broccoli florets

  • Feng Xu
  • Xuehong Chen
  • Peng Jin
  • Xiaoli Wang
  • Jing Wang
  • Yonghua Zheng
Original Paper
First Online:
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:

Abstract

Broccoli deteriorates very quickly after harvest at ambient temperature due to the loss of green color and the consequent yellowing of florets. To search for an effective method to control quality deterioration, the effect of ethanol treatment on visual quality, antioxidant enzymes and health-promoting compounds in broccoli florets was investigated. Ethanol treatment (500 μL/L) markedly extended shelf-life, inhibited the increase of L * value and the decrease of H value. It also reduced the rate of chlorophyll degradation by inhibiting the activities of chlorophyllase, Mg-dechelatase and peroxidase. In addition, the 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity and the activities of superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase and catalase were enhanced in florets treated with ethanol. The contents of total phenolic compounds, glucosinolates and sulforaphane in broccoli were also profoundly increased after treating with ethanol. These results indicated that a postharvest application of ethanol can prolong shelf-life, maintain visual quality and enhance the nutritional value of broccoli florets.

Keywords

Broccoli Ethanol Antioxidant activity Glucosinolate Sulforaphane 

Abbreviations

SOD

Superoxide dismutase

APX

Ascobate peroxidase

CAT

Catalase

POD

Peroxidase

DPPH

1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl

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Notes

Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions.

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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag 2012

Authors and Affiliations

  • Feng Xu
    • 1
    • 2
  • Xuehong Chen
    • 1
    • 3
  • Peng Jin
    • 1
  • Xiaoli Wang
    • 1
  • Jing Wang
    • 1
  • Yonghua Zheng
    • 1
  1. 1.College of Food Science and TechnologyNanjing Agricultural UniversityNanjingPeople’s Republic of China
  2. 2.School of Marine ScienceNingbo UniversityNingboPeople’s Republic of China
  3. 3.College of Food EngineeringXuzhou Institute of TechnologyXuzhouPeople’s Republic of China

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