Assessment of the bioaccessibility of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity in raw and pickled white cabbage and gherkins

Abstract

White cabbage and gherkin are vegetables that are widely consumed as pickles as well as raw vegetables. In this research, we explored the effect of pickling on the bioaccessibility of phenolics and flavonoids and changes in anti-oxidant activity after in vitro digestion. In general, the pickling process enhances the bioaccessibility of phenolics and flavonoids in white cabbage and gherkin. The bioaccessibility of total phenolics (TP) in cabbages, pickled cabbages, gherkins, and pickled gherkins is determined as 125.2%, 185.1%, 369.2%, and 462%, respectively. In contrast, after in vitro digestion of raw and pickled vegetables, total antioxidant activity is reduced. So it can be concluded that both raw and pickled gherkins are good sources of bioaccessible phenolics and flavonoids. The consumption of these vegetables and their pickles is suggested to promote the reduction of diseases plagued by free radicals.