Ozone fumigation increases the abundance of nutrients in Brassica vegetables: broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) and Chinese cabbage (Brassica pekinensis)

Eur Food Res Technol. 2015;240(2):459-462. doi: 10.1007/s00217-014-2372-z. Epub 2014 Nov 20.

Abstract

Brassicaceae vegetables, among them broccoli and Chinese cabbage, are well recognized due to the nutritional properties. Four-week-old Chinese cabbage and broccoli seedlings were fumigated with O3 for 3 days before being transplanted into the field. The effect of O3 treatment was determined after reaching marketable quality (ca. 10 weeks). The inflorescences of O3-treated broccoli were enriched in vitamin E (α-tocopherol and γ-tocopherol), whereas Chinese cabbage heads had an increased content of anthocyanins and β-carotene. Ozone treatment did not significantly affect the productivity of both examined vegetables.

Keywords: Anthocyanin; Antioxidants; Vitamin E; β-Carotene.