Assessment of the Interactive Effect of the Use of 1-Methylcyclopropene and Cultivars on the Nutritional Value of Broccoli during Storage

Dorota Wichrowska,Wojciech Kozera,Piotr Prus,Anna Ligocka,Tomasz Knapowski

doi:10.3390/agronomy11122575

Abstract

Broccoli is a short-term fresh storage vegetable; it most often goes to the processing plant where it is frozen or cold-stored. 1-methylcyclopropene gas (1-MCP) can be used to extend broccoli’s shelf life. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of the genetic cultivar determinants, the use of 1-MCP and the storage time on the weight loss as well as the content of nutrients and harmful compounds in cultivars: ‘Bay Meadows’, ‘Monaco’, ‘Naxos’ and ‘Vicario’. The cultivars selected for the study differed significantly in terms of the traits after harvest and storage, and the differences were also conditioned by the interaction of the genetic factor and 1-MCP used, especially within 30 days after harvest. Of the broccoli cultivars, ‘Monaco’ demonstrated the lowest weight loss during storage, the highest content of dry weight, total sugars, vitamin C, both after harvest and after storage, in the samples treated with 1-methylcycloprepene after harvest. In turn, ‘Vicario’ lost most weight after storage and broccoli florets treated with 1-MCP have lost less weight. The highest amounts of nitrates and nitrites, both after harvest and after storage, were found in ‘Monaco’; however, the differences, as compared with the other cultivars, were significant, yet relatively low. The lowest compactness of the florets was recorded, and hence the lowest commercial value (basically unmarketable), for ‘Naxos’, ‘Monaco’ and ‘Vicario’ cultivars after 30 days of storage without the use of 1-MCP. However, due to the use of 1-MCP and low temperature (4 °C), the commercial value of those broccoli cultivars was satisfactory.

Highlights

The set of traits of the vegetables intended for storage determines their storage value.Most important of all is the storage durability, i.e., a set of genetically-fixed traits in the breeding process, determining the differences in the morphological, anatomical and chemical composition of individual species or even cultivars of vegetables
The results indicate that treatment with 1-methylcyclopropene gas (1-MCP) can be a good candidate to extend the shelf life, to maintain visual quality and to reduce quality loss in broccoli flowers
Based on the data presented, it can be concluded that broccoli is a valuable source of basic nutrients such as raw protein, carbohydrates and vitamin C

Summary

Introduction

The set of traits of the vegetables intended for storage determines their storage value. Most important of all is the storage durability, i.e., a set of genetically-fixed traits in the breeding process, determining the differences in the morphological, anatomical and chemical composition of individual species or even cultivars of vegetables. Broccoli (Brassica oleracea L.) is a vegetable that is unstable when stored due to its high respiration rates and high water loss [1]. Broccoli can be classified as climacteric since florets became yellow as respiration and ethylene production increase [2]. As claimed by Costa et al [3], as it is the case in many other products, broccoli floret aging is due to ethylene production

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