Antioxidant Activity Of Sprouts Research Articles

Effect of Wheat Crop Nitrogen Fertilization Schedule on the Phenolic Content and Antioxidant Activity of Sprouts and Wheatgrass Obtained from Offspring Grains.

This work was aimed at investigating the effects of rate and timing of nitrogen fertilization applied to a maternal wheat crop on phytochemical content and antioxidant activity of edible sprouts and wheatgrass obtained from offspring grains. We hypothesized that imbalance in N nutrition experienced by the mother plants translates into transgenerational responses on seedlings obtained from the offspring seeds. To this purpose, we sprouted grains of two bread wheat cultivars (Bologna and Bora) grown in the field under four N fertilization schedules: constantly well N fed with a total of 300 kg N ha−1; N fed only very early, i.e., one month after sowing, with 60 kg N ha−1; N fed only late, i.e., at initial shoot elongation, with 120 kg N ha−1; and unfertilized control. We measured percent germination, seedling growth, vegetation indices (by reflectance spectroscopy), the phytochemical content (total phenols, phenolic acids, carotenoids, chlorophylls), and the antioxidant activity (by gold nanoparticles photometric assay) of extracts in sprout and wheatgrass obtained from the harvested seeds. Our main finding is that grains obtained from crops subjected to late N deficiency produced wheatgrass with much higher phenolic content (as compared to the other N treatments), and this was observed in both cultivars. Thus, we conclude that late N deficiency is a stressing condition which elicits the production of phenols. This may help counterbalance the loss of income related to lower grain yield in crops subjected to such an imbalance in N nutrition.

Potential of Germination in Selected Conditions to Improve the Nutritional and Bioactive Properties of Moringa (Moringa oleifera L.).

Moringa oleifera L. is greatly appreciated for its high content of phytochemicals. Although most parts of moringa tree have been widely studied, seeds remained scarcely explored. The first goal of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of germination to improve the nutritional composition (proximate composition and levels of vitamins B1 and B2), content of bioactive compounds (glucosinolates, phenolics and γ-aminobutyric acid, GABA) and antioxidant activity of moringa seed. Germination improved protein, fat, fiber, riboflavin, phenolics, some individual glucosinolates (GLS) and GABA contents, as well as the antioxidant potential in moringa sprouts, but the extent of the improvement depended on germination conditions. The second objective of this work was to identify the optimal germination conditions to maximize nutritional and bioactive quality of moringa by applying multi-response optimization (response surface methodology, RSM). RSM models indicated that 28 °C and 24 h were the optimal conditions to enhance the accumulation of riboflavin, phenolics and antioxidant activity of sprouts, while the highest GABA and total GLS contents were observed at 36 °C for 96 h and thiamine achieved the maximum content at 36 °C for 24 h. These results show that moringa sprouts are promising functional foods that might be also used as ingredients for the elaboration of novel foodstuffs.

Антиоксидантная активность семян и ростков сельдерейных культур

The study examined germination of seeds, antioxidant properties of seeds, sprouts and biomass of four vegetable crops under controlled conditions under various modes of seed drying. After thermal dehydration of the seeds (drying of samples at 105 °C), a sharp decrease in sowing properties occurs compared to air drying. Thermal dehydration strongly affects the viability of seeds and plants, but the level of adaptation to this stress effect is genetically determined and associated with metabolic features, forms and the state of water in plant cells and tissues. So, coriander seeds completely lose germination, and chicory seeds germinate quite well. New data are obtained on seed viability, microzelenium biomass formation and change of total antioxidant activity of studied vegetable crops under conditions of increased temperatures. In addition to chicory, carrot seeds showed some resistance to thermal dehydration. The height of the sprouts in chicory in experimental and control versions is close, while in carrots they differ almost 9 times. The yield of microselenium of carrots decreased by 11.5 times with the use of seeds subjected to thermal dehydration, the yield of chicory microselenium – by 2.7 times. The antioxy-data activity of coriander seeds, carrots and pasternaci decreases after thermodehydration, chicory seeds practically do not change. The antioxidant activity of sprouts is several times higher than that of seeds, which is characteristic of all studied crops. The formation of microzelenium during dark selection lasts no more than 2 weeks from the moment of sowing, obviously, therefore, it is impractical to grow microzelenium in the dark longer than this period.

Phenolic content and antioxidant activity of einkorn and emmer sprouts and wheatgrass obtained under different radiation wavelengths

Sprouted seeds represent intriguing ready-to-eat micro-scale vegetables for the healthy food market, since they are tasty and rich in bioactive compounds. However, sprouts have been recently proposed as a source for the extraction and purification of several phytochemicals to be used in food supplementation or pharmaceutics. Recently, there has been an industrialization of sprout production, carried out indoor, often with use of artificial light, which have implications on biomass yield and composition, and on energetic and economic costs. This work investigates the effects of different radiation wavelengths from light emitting diodes (LED) on free and bound phenolics and antioxidant activity of sprouts and wheatgrass of einkorn (Triticum monococcum L. ssp. monococcum) and emmer ([(Triticum turgidum L. spp. dicoccum, (Schrank ex Schübler) Thell.)]). After 3 days of grain incubation in the dark, three light treatments were applied, labelled as BLUE (447 and 470 nm), RED (627 and 655 nm), and SUN (447, 470, 505, 530, 590, 627, 655 nm), for a same total photon flux density (PFD) of 200 μmol m−2 s−1. Sprouts were harvested at 5 days after sowing (DAS) and wheatgrass at 9 DAS. The effect of light was generally not significant for sprouts, much greater and species-specific for wheatgrass: BLUE in einkorn and RED in emmer generally increased free and total content of polyphenol (PC), tannins (TC), flavonoid (FC) and phenolic acids (PAs). The antioxidant activity was increased by BLUE in einkorn and decreased by RED in both species. BLUE and RED resulted energy saving compared to SUN.

Phenolic Compounds and Antioxidant Activity of Sprouts from Seeds of Citrus Species

Seeds from Citrus species represent a relevant by-product of the juice industry and a potential source of bioactive compounds such as phenols and other antioxidants. Sprouting could be an intriguing idea to enhance the content of these compounds, as explored for other fruittree species. In this experiment, the sprouting performance, the concentration of total phenols and phenolic acids, and the antioxidant activity of seeds and sprouts were evaluated for bitter orange (Citrus aurantium L. seedlings), blonde orange (Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck cv.Biondocomune), sweet orange (Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck seedlings), lemon (Citrus limon (L.) Osbeck cv.Femminello), and mandarin (Citrus reticulata Blanco cv.Tardivo di Ciaculli). The germination was high for all genotypes except for mandarin, but it took 4–8 weeks. Sprouts did not differ among genotypes for size and generally had hard consistency of cotyledons and a bitter taste. The concentrations of total phenols and phenolic acids of seeds and sprouts varied with the genotype, while the antioxidant activity was not statistically different among treatments. Sprouting increased both the concentration of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity but no correlation was found between them, suggesting that other antioxidants, besides phenols, are present. Given the slow germination and the bitter taste, Citrus sprouts appear unsuitable for homemade production aimed at direct consumption, while they may have perspectives for extraction of food additives, cosmetics, and pharmaceutics.

Influence of Drying Temperature on Phenolic Acids Composition and Antioxidant Activity of Sprouts and Leaves of White and Red Quinoa

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of drying temperature on the phenolic acids profile and antioxidant activity of sprouts and leaves red and white Chenopodium quinoa (RQ and WQ, respectively). Four-day sprouts and leaves dried at 30, 45, and 60°C were tested. All sprouts contained significant amounts of phenolic compounds; however, higher content was determined in the RQ sprouts. Phenolic compounds from WQ sprouts seem to be thermostable in the studied temperature range, whereas total phenolics content in RQ sprouts decreased significantly after drying in the 60°C. Content of vanillic and p-coumaric acids did not differ significantly between sprouts dried at the same conditions; however, their level decreased in the high temperature. Irrespective of the drying temperature, higher activity against ABTS free radicals and reducing power was observed in the case of RQ sprouts extracts. Sprouts dried at 30°C had a higher ability to scavenge hydroxyl radicals. RQ sprouts were characterized by about two times higher antioxidant activity regardless of the method used. No significant differences between total phenolics (TPC) and flavonoids content in RQ and LQ leaves were found. In the both cases, decrease of TPC was observed after drying in the highest temperature. The leaves do not differ too much in terms of the phenolic acids profile, whereas the differentiating factor is thermal processing. Leaves of both quinoa contained thermostable compounds able to scavenge hydroxyl radicals. Reducing power and ability to scavenge OH radicals were correlated with all components of quinoa sprouts which suggest synergism between them and does not indicate the key role of a particular compound in creating antioxidant capacity. Germination and subsequent oven-drying at 30°C of quinoa seeds significantly increased the antioxidant properties compared with raw seeds. Also, in the case of leaves, the best results were obtained after drying at 30°C.

Total phenolic contents and antioxidant activity profile of selected cereal sprouts and grasses

ABSTRACT Quantitative profiling of total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activity (AOA) in seeds, sprouts, and grasses of corn (Zea mays L.), wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), and barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) were performed. TPC and AOA were strongly correlated and increased with days. Grasses between 10 and 13 days showed the highest TPCs and AOA. The AOA in sprouts and grasses were a fifth and two-thirds of ascorbic acid (AA) standard, respectively, which are higher than in several popular natural antioxidants. Further cell-based studies or in vivo studies could be considered in future to draw more valuable information related to human health.

Effect of Cooking on Isoflavones, Phenolic Acids, and Antioxidant Activity in Sprouts of Prosoy Soybean (Glycine max).

Soy sprouts possess health benefits and is required to be cooked before consumption. The effects of cooking on the phenolic components and antioxidant properties of soy sprouts with different germination days were investigated. A food-grade cultivar Prosoy with a high protein content was germinated for 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7 d and cooked till palatable for 20, 20, 5, 5, and 7 min, respectively. Total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoids content (TFC), condensed tannins content (CTC), individual phenolic acids, isoflavones, DPPH, ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) of raw and cooked sprouts were measured. Cooking caused significant losses in phenolic content and antioxidant activities, and maximum loss was on day 3 > 5 > 7, including TPC (32%, 23%, and 15%), TFC (50%, 44%, and 20%), CTC (73%, 47%, and 12%), DPPH (31%, 15%, and 5%), FRAP (34%, 25%, and 1%), and ORAC (34%, 22%, 32%), respectively. Cooking caused significant losses in most individual phenolic acid, benzoic group, cinnamic group, total phenolic composition, individual isoflavones, and total isoflavones. The losses of phenolic acids such as gallic, protocatechuic, hydroxybenzoic, syringic, chlorogenic, or sinapic acids during cooking were not compensated by the increases in trihydroxybenzoic, vanillic or coumaric acids on certain days of germination. Cooking caused minimal changes in phenolic acid composition of day 1 and 2 sprouts compared to 3, 5, and 7 d sprouts.

Effect of NaCl stress on health-promoting compounds and antioxidant activity in the sprouts of three broccoli cultivars

Health-promoting compounds, antioxidant and myrosinase activity in the sprouts of three broccoli cultivars under 40 mM, 80 mM and 160 mM NaCl were investigated. LangYan (LY) sprouts had the richest health-promoting compounds among the evaluated cultivars. Treatment of 40 mM and 80 mM NaCl significantly decreased the content of ascorbic acid and total phenolic as well as antioxidant activity, but did not affect glucoraphanin, sulforaphane and myrosinase activity compared to the control. However, 160 mM NaCl treatment significantly enhanced the level of total phenolic, glucoraphanin, sulforaphane, antioxidant and myrosinase activity, while significantly decreased ascorbic acid content. The results suggest that 160 mM NaCl treatment would enhance antioxidant activity and sulforaphane yield in broccoli sprouts. The health-promoting value of broccoli sprouts depends on plant genotype and could be affected by NaCl stress.

Impact of germination time and type of illumination on the antioxidant compounds and antioxidant capacity of Lens culinaris sprouts

Lentil sprouts have the potential to be an effective dietary source of polyphenolics. The effects of different illumination conditions of germination on the content of polyphenolics and antioxidant capacities of lentils sprouts have been studied. Obtained results indicated that both germination and illumination conditions modified the polyphenolic profiles and biological activity. Studies have shown that phenolic phytochemicals can be stimulated by cultivation under continuous light; a significant increase in p-hydroxybenzoic, benzoic, caffeic acids content on days 3 and 4 after germination was observed. Antioxidant activity of sprouts was correlated with phenolics content and closely depended on the cultivation conditions. To achieve lentil sprouts with enhanced nutraceutical value (antioxidant potential), germination in the presence of continuous light can be suggested.

New insights into antioxidant activity of Brassica crops

Antioxidant activity of six Brassica crops-broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, nabicol and tronchuda cabbage-was measured at four plant stages with DPPH and FRAP assays. Samples taken three months after sowing showed the highest antioxidant activity. Kale crop possessed the highest antioxidant activity at this plant stage and also at the adult plant stage, while cauliflower showed the highest antioxidant activity in sprouts and in leaves taken two months after sowing. Brassica by-products could be used as sources of products with high content of antioxidants. Phenolic content and composition varied, depending on the crop under study and on the plant stage; sprout samples were much higher in hydroxycinnamic acids than the rest of samples. Differences in antioxidant activity of Brassica crops were related to differences in total phenolic content but also to differences in phenolic composition for most samples.

Effects of ultraviolet irradiation, pulsed electric field, hot water and ethanol vapours treatment on functional properties of mung bean sprouts.

The present investigation was conducted with the objective to study the effects of various treatments and storage conditions on ascorbic acid, total phenols, antioxidant activity and polyphenol oxidase activity of mung bean sprouts. The sprouts subjected to various treatments viz., pulsed electric field (PEF) (10,000V for 10s), hot water dip (HWD) (50°C for 2min), ethanol vapours (1h) and UV-Irradiation (10kJm(-2) in laminar flow chamber for 1h); and then stored at room (25 ± 1°C) and low (7 ± 1°C) temperature conditions. The sprouts were analyzed regularly at 24h interval till end of shelf life. Different treatments given to sprouts resulted in differential effect on various parameters. The ascorbic acid, total phenols and antioxidant activity were highest in ethanol vapours treated sprouts. There was a general decrease in polyphenol oxidase activity by various treatments. During storage ascorbic acid, total phenols and antioxidant activity of sprouts first increased and then decreased significantly, however, for polyphenol oxidase activity a progressive increase with increase in storage period was observed. The trends were similar at room and low temperature storage conditions. Thus, it can be concluded that the ethanol vapours significantly improved the ascorbic acid content, total phenols and antioxidant activity of mung bean sprouts, both at room as well as low temperature conditions of storage.