Altered commercial controlled atmosphere storage conditions for ‘Parhenon’ broccoli plants (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica). Influence on the outer quality parameters and on the health-promoting compounds

Abstract

Parameters such as bright and dark green compact heads, firmness to hand pressure and closed florets, and the evolution of main health-promoting compounds such as carotenoid and chlorophyll pigments, phenolic compounds and glucosinolates, were assessed to determine the effects of the atmosphere composition during the cold storage of broccoli ‘Parthenon’. The controlled atmosphere evaluated in this study was a gas mixture containing 10% of O2 and 5% of CO2, with 85–90% relative humidity. The storage temperature was established at 1 and 2 °C. We found that the loss of weight and firmness was greater in the reference samples compared to samples stored under controlled atmosphere conditions (20.60% and 84.88%, for loss of weight and firmness in reference samples respectively, and 4.80% and 16.48%, for loss of weight and firmness in controlled atmosphere samples respectively) after 9 days of storage, approximately. In addition, the proposed controlled atmosphere conditions helped to maintain the concentration of the main health-promoting compounds, such as ascorbic acid, carotenoid and chlorophylls pigments, total phenolic compounds and intact glucosinolates, and the values of the antioxidant activity in vitro were also maintained.