Effects of cooking techniques on phenolic content and sensory profiles of cauliflower

Abstract

In this study, the effects of the cooking methods (frying, stir-frying, air-frying, boiling, steaming, baking and sous-vide, and microwaving) on total phenolic content (TPC) and sensory profile of cauliflower have been investigated. Higher cooking temperatures have resulted in higher TPC values, which can be attributed to the generation of new phenolics by the Maillard reaction and cleavage of bound phenolics. The highest TPC and bitterness were obtained when steaming and baking (180°C for 20 min) were applied. While the boiling procedure results in low bitterness and sweetness due to the loss of related compounds in boiling water, the taste of cooked cauliflower was higher when steamed (12 min) and stir-fried (4.5 min). Overall acceptability of the boiled, steamed, and fried samples was higher than in baked and sous-vide treated samples. Steaming was determined as the best technique regarding TPC content and sensory properties.