Marchioni Ilaria, Martinelli Marco, Ascrizzi Roberta, Gabbrielli Costanza, Flamini Guido, Pistelli Luisa, Pistelli Laura
Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, via del Borghetto 80, 56126 Pisa, Italy.
PlantLab, Institute of Life Sciences, Scuola Superiore Sant'anna, via Guidiccioni 8-10, 56010 San Giuliano Terme, Italy.
Foods. 2021 Feb 15;10(2):427. doi: 10.3390/foods10020427.
Microgreens are the seedlings of herbs and vegetables which are harvested at the development stage of their two cotyledonary leaves, or sometimes at the emergence of their rudimentary first pair of true leaves. They are functional foods, the consumption of which is steadily increasing due to their high nutritional value. The species of the Brassicaceae family are good sources of bioactive compounds, with a favorable nutritional profile. The present study analyzed some phytochemical compounds with nutritional values, such as chlorophylls, polyphenols, carotenoids, anthocyanins, ascorbic acid, total and reducing sugars, and the antioxidant activity of five Brassicaceae species: broccoli ( L.), daikon ( subsp. (L.) Domin), mustard ( (L.) Czern.), rocket salad ( (L.) Cav.), and watercress ( R.Br.). Broccoli had the highest polyphenol, carotenoid and chlorophyll contents, as well as a good antioxidant ability. Mustard was characterized by high ascorbic acid and total sugar contents. By contrast, rocket salad exhibited the lowest antioxidant content and activity. The essential oil (EO) composition of all of these species was determined in order to identify their profile and isothiocyanates content, which are compounds with many reported health benefits. Isothiocyanates were the most abundant group in broccoli (4-pentenyl isothiocyanate), mustard (allyl isothiocyanate), and watercress (benzyl isothiocyanate) EOs, while rocket salad and daikon exhibited higher contents of monoterpene hydrocarbons (myrcene) and oxygenated diterpenes (phytol), respectively. Broccoli microgreens exhibited the overall best nutritional profile, appearing as the most promising species to be consumed as a functional food among those analyzed.
微型蔬菜是草本植物和蔬菜的幼苗，在两片子叶发育阶段收获，有时也在第一对真叶初现阶段收获。它们是功能性食品，因其高营养价值，消费量在稳步增加。十字花科植物是生物活性化合物的良好来源，具有良好的营养特性。本研究分析了五种十字花科植物（西兰花（L.）、萝卜（亚种（L.）Domin）、芥菜（（L.）Czern.）、芝麻菜（（L.）Cav.）和豆瓣菜（R.Br.））中一些具有营养价值的植物化学化合物，如叶绿素、多酚、类胡萝卜素、花青素、抗坏血酸、总糖和还原糖，以及抗氧化活性。西兰花的多酚、类胡萝卜素和叶绿素含量最高，抗氧化能力也较好。芥菜的特点是抗坏血酸和总糖含量高。相比之下，芝麻菜的抗氧化剂含量和活性最低。测定了所有这些物种的精油（EO）成分，以确定其成分和异硫氰酸盐含量，这些化合物具有许多已报道的健康益处。异硫氰酸盐是西兰花（4-戊烯基异硫氰酸盐）、芥菜（烯丙基异硫氰酸盐）和豆瓣菜（苄基异硫氰酸盐）精油中含量最丰富的组，而芝麻菜和萝卜分别表现出较高含量的单萜烃（月桂烯）和氧化二萜（叶绿醇）。西兰花微型蔬菜展现出总体最佳的营养特性，在所分析的物种中，似乎是作为功能性食品消费最具前景的物种。
