Compostos fenólicos em hortaliças cultivadas nos sistemas convencional e orgânico: uma revisão

Abstract

The technique of organic food production has spread among consumers based on agro-ecological principles and conservation of natural resources. Many studies have found that organically produced foods tend to have lower nitrate content, higher vitamin C content, dry matter, and antioxidant compounds. The antioxidant properties in foods are directly related to the presence of phenolic compounds, especially phenolic acids and flavonoids. However, with respect to the nutritional quality for most nutrients, to date, there is no consensus on the superiority of organic foods compared to conventional ones. This review provides an overview of the main research related to the content of phenolic compounds in vegetables in conventional and organic cultivation. According to scientific research, there are several factors that may contribute to the content of phenolic compounds in vegetables, such as the cropping system, soil composition, genetic factors, environmental conditions, nitrogen availability, amount of irrigation and nutrients received, as well as the variety of the plant and its degree of ripeness. Organic vegetables have an enormous potential for technological innovation, since there is a need to maintain these important compounds for health, without detriment to the pleasant taste expected by the population.