engleski

Phenolic fingerprinting of broccoli, cauliflower and kale microgreens

Mature Brassicaceae plants are established as a great source of antioxidants, particularly phenolic compounds. Their seedlings, nowadays often branded as microgreens, also emerged as a rich source of healthy phytochemicals. However, results and comparisons of phenolic profiles of different Brassicaceae varieties are scarce. Therefore, in this study, ethanolic extracts of broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica), cauliflower (B. oleracea var. botrytis) and kale (B. oleracea var. acephala) were subjected to the chromatographic analysis using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). Using targeted metabolomics approach, we identified and quantified five phenolic acids (p- coumaric, ferulic, caffeic, sinapic and gallic acid) and two flavonoids (quercetin and kaempferol). In broccoli seedlings, highest levels of caffeic and gallic acid were recorded, as well as the highest quercetin content among the tested extracts. Cauliflower seedlings had the highest levels of kaempferol, ferulic and p-coumaric acid. Kale seedlings had the highest content of sinapic acid and quercetin. Results established that the phenolic profiles of different Brassica microgreens largely vary among cultivars. Each of the identified compounds were present in high concentrations in the extracts, confirming the cruciferous microgreens as a rich source of phenolic compounds. High content of flavonoids and phenolic acids contribute to the antioxidative potential of Brassica microgreens, establishing them as a healthy functional food which should be included in the human diet on a wider scale. Further studies should evaluate the health benefits of the Brassica microgreens in more detail.

antioxidants ; Brassicaceae ; flavonoids ; phenolic acids ; polyphenols ; RP-HPLC

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