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Development of a Novel Functional Soup Rich in Bioactive Sulforaphane Using Broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. ssp. italica) Florets and Byproducts

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Abstract

Broccoli florets are rich in health-promoting compounds such as glucoraphanin, the precursor of the bioactive compound sulforaphane. In addition, broccoli byproducts such as stalk also contain health-promoting compounds and represent attractive ingredients in the development of functional foods. The bioconversion of glucosinolates into bioactive isothiocyanates is affected by many factors including heat and therefore cooking of Brassica such as broccoli may result in significant loss of sulforaphane production. The aim of this study was to develop a suitable food system as a vehicle for the delivery of sulforaphane in the human diet in adequate quantities. To this end, the feasibility of dry-mix ready soup as a food matrix for the delivery of broccoli floret and byproducts was evaluated. In particular, this study investigated the bioconversion of glucosinolates into bioactive isothiocyanates during the cooking process of this novel food product by microwave heating. In addition to total isothiocyanate and sulforaphane content, other key physical and biochemical quality attributes of the broccoli floret- and byproduct-enriched soups were investigated. Total isothiocyanate and sulforaphane content in floret- and stalk-enriched soups was high in both cases and increased in the order stalk<floret. The overall acceptability of stalk containing soups was not significantly different compared with the control soups, whereas floret containing soups received significantly lower acceptability scores. These results suggest that ready soups prepared by microwave heating represent a feasible food product for the delivery of broccoli florets and byproducts which is compatible with the bioconversion of glucosinolates into bioactive isothiocyanates.

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Acknowledgments

This research was funded under the Irish National Development Plan under the Food Institutional Research Measure, administered by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Food Science, School of Food Science and Environmental Health, Dublin Institute of Technology, Cathal Brugha St, Dublin 1, Ireland

    Laura Alvarez-Jubete, Kate Kehoe & Catherine Barry-Ryan

  2. Teagasc Food Research Centre, Ashtown, Dublin 15, Ireland

    Juan Valverde, Kim Reilly & Dilip K. Rai

Authors
  1. Laura Alvarez-Jubete
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  2. Juan Valverde
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  3. Kate Kehoe
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  4. Kim Reilly
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  5. Dilip K. Rai
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  6. Catherine Barry-Ryan
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Correspondence to Catherine Barry-Ryan.

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Alvarez-Jubete, L., Valverde, J., Kehoe, K. et al. Development of a Novel Functional Soup Rich in Bioactive Sulforaphane Using Broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. ssp. italica) Florets and Byproducts. Food Bioprocess Technol 7, 1310–1321 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11947-013-1113-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11947-013-1113-9

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