Leafy Vegetables Research Articles

Effects of sodium alginate and calcium on quality attributes of Shepherd’s purse under ultrasound impregnation during blanching processing

This study aimed to improve the quality of blanched Shepherd’s purse. Before blanching, Shepherd’s purse was impregnated, combined with ultrasonic treatment (US) (0, 5, 15 min) and different impregnators (calcium chloride (Ca), glucose (Gl), sodium alginate (Al)) to investigate the effects on the quality of blanched Shepherd’s purse. The contents of ascorbic acid, phenolic compounds and calcium were determined after blanching for 1 min, and the color, structure and volatile substances were analyzed. It was found that ultrasonic assisted sodium alginate impregnation for 15 min and calcium chloride treatment (Al + Ca + US15) produced very favorable effects on the quality characteristics of blanched Shepherd’s purse. Specifically, the ascorbic acid content of Al + Ca + US15 was 1.57 folds higher than that of the control group (CK), and the gallic acid and rutin content increased by 35.2% and 24.7%, respectively, compared to the CK. Additionally, the calcium content in Al + Ca + US15 was 1.27 folds higher than that in the CK. Furthermore, compared with CK, Al + Ca + US15 treatment of blanched Shepherd’s purse ΔE value was significantly reduced by 49.1%. Microstructure analysis revealed no significant difference in the internal cell space after Al + Ca + US15 treatment, and the cell morphology remained normal. In addition, the volatile data indicated that the impregnation treatment decreased the loss of volatiles after blanching. Overall, the treatment of ultrasound assisted impregnation has been found to be bio-protective for leaf vegetables when exposed to heat.Graphical

Assessment of the Seed Health Status of Selected Leafy and Fruit Vegetables in Bangladesh

Assessment of the Seed Health Status of Selected Leafy and Fruit Vegetables in Bangladesh

Phenotypic and genotypic screening of multidrug resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae isolated from ready to eat street food in Tanta, Egypt.

Ready-To-Eat-Street-Foods (RTESF)have food safety concerns, since they are prepared with less-structured food safety guidelines in small and roadside outlets.Klebsiella pneumoniae has become a dangerous foodborne-pathogen worldwide due to its virulence and resistance profile. This study aimed at evaluating the potential burden of antibiotic-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae contaminating RTESF and assessing the microbiological quality of RTESF in Egypt. A total of 242 RTESF (green salad) samples was collected, different media were used for isolation of different bacterial species.Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates were identified biochemically and by Gram and capsular staining then isolates were assessed for antimicrobial resistance phenotypically. The ability of biofilm formation was assessed using crystal violet and molecular characterization of ESBLs and virulence genes was done using PCR. A total of 77/242(31.8%)of the recovered isolates was identified as Klebsiella pneumoniaeand the resistance percentages were as follow: cefuroxime and cephradine(100%, 77/77),amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (98.7%, 76/77), while (27.3%, 21/77)of the isolates were MDR. Biofilm assay revealed that (31/77, 41/77 and 5/77) isolates were strong, moderate, and weak biofilm-producers, respectively. Among ESBLs-encoding-genes, blaSHV was the most prevalent(71.4%)whileblaTEMand blaCTX-M-2were equally-present (55.8%).The most prevalent virulence genes were mrkD (92.2%) followed by K2 (63.3%). The contaminated RTESF could be a reservoir for Klebsiella pneumoniae, therefore much care must be taken during preparation and consumption to avoid dissemination of MDRKlebsiella pneumoniae leading to subsequent treatment challenges. Our finding indicating that RTESF, if not prepared under hygienic conditions, could be a source of serious Klebsiella pneumoniae infection.

Geo-behavioural predictors of diagnosed hypertension in Igbo Ora Area, Oyo State, Nigeria

Diagnosed hypertension stands out as a prominent global cause of mortality, prompting recent efforts to understand not only treatment options but also determinants across diverse age and occupational groups. However, the literature on the impact of environmental factors on diagnosed hypertension is limited, especially in rural areas with restricted access to health infrastructure. Geographical determinants research has often focused on spatial variations across different units, potentially masking individual environmental contributions. Data on diagnosed hypertension patients and their behaviours were gathered during the ARISE project, complemented by geographical data (elevation, vegetation, road network, population density, and nighttime light exposure) from secondary sources. Spatial patterns were analyzed using the Nearest Neighbour Statistic, Ripley K Function, and Kernel Density Estimation, while Binomial logistic regression identified predictors. Diagnosed hypertension patients exhibit spatial clustering, and are mainly comprised of elderly individuals, residing closer to roads, at higher elevations, in areas with higher population distribution, and with little or no green vegetation. Socio-economic, health-related, behavioural, and environmental factors collectively drive diagnosed hypertension. Spatial clustering of diagnosed hypertension in the Igbo Ora community is localized, indicating potential spatial factors influencing its prevalence. Beyond identified behavioural and medical history factors, geographical elements like nighttime light exposure and normalized vegetation index contribute to the observed clustering. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for targeted interventions in the community.

Ball-Milling-Modified Biochar with Additives Enhances Soil Cd Passivation, Increases Plant Growth and Restrains Cd Uptake by Chinese Cabbage

Biochar is a popular amendment in Cd polluted soil. However, the performance of bulk biochar is still less than satisfactory, so effective modification is very important to improve its capacity to adsorb Cd. In the present study, biochar derived from reed straw was modified by ball milling with the addition of either potassium hydroxide (KOH) alone (QK) or combined with attapulgite (QKA). Both batch experiments and pot cultivation were conducted to elucidate the adsorption mechanisms of Cd by modified biochar and their effects on Cd passivation and plant uptake in Cd polluted soil. The results showed that QK and QKA could provide higher pH values, and more oxygen-containing functional groups and minerals compared with bulk biochar (YC), promoting the complexation, ion exchange and precipitation of biochar to cadmium (Cd). The modified biochar was more inclined to multi-layer, non-ideal surface and chemical adsorption, which was an endothermic process. Compared to non-biochar addition (CK), the application of QK or QKA significantly promoted the values of pH, EC, CEC, available potassium and organic matter in soil. The addition of QK, QKA and YC decreased the availability of Cd by 22.61%, 22.32% and 14.16%, accompanied by the increase of residual Cd by 47.96%, 47.60% and 37.27%, respectively, indicating the more effective passivation of the modified biochar (QK and QKA). Compared to CK, biochar applications could significantly improve Chinese cabbage growth, and decrease Cd content in the aerial/edible part of plants by 42.97, 18.16 and 7.29%, respectively, for QK, QKA and YC. With the application of QK, Cd concentrations in the aerial/edible part of Chinese cabbage were reduced to 0.15 mg kg−1 (lower than 0.2 mg/kg, the leafy vegetables national safety standard). Generally, the performance of QK on the remediation effects and vegetable production was better than that of QKA, indicating the potential of QK for the remediation of Cd-contaminated soil and the safe production of vegetables.

Significant greening in the western Tibetan Plateau and surroundings occurred after the 1970s

Vegetation greening on the Tibetan Plateau (TP) has profoundly changed the connection between terrestrial ecosystems and regional carbon, water, and energy cycling, but existing research on vegetation greenness can only be traced back to the 1980s, because of the scarcity of long-term remote sensing data. Here we present an ice-core record of pollen accumulation rates with a 3-year resolution during 1935–2012 AD for the western TP. Based on backward trajectory and wind data, we identified the pollen source region and transport mechanisms. We found that the 3-year total pollen accumulation rate (TPAR3a) is a good indicator of vegetation coverage of the source region, and our data showed that the greening of the western TP and surroundings began as early as 1935 AD, mostly due to regional warming and moistening. The greening trend became more significant after the 1970s, which is mostly related to the significant increase in temperature.

Insights into the Sources, Structure, and Action Mechanisms of Quinones on Diabetes: A Review

Quinones, one of the oldest organic compounds, are of increasing interest due to their abundant presence in a wide range of natural sources and their remarkable biological activity. These compounds occur naturally in green leafy vegetables, fruits, herbs, animal and marine sources, and fermented products, and have demonstrated promising potential for use in health interventions, particularly in the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes (T2DM). This review aims to investigate the potential of quinones as a health intervention for T2DM from the multidimensional perspective of their sources, types, structure–activity relationship, glucose-lowering mechanism, toxicity reduction, and bioavailability enhancement. Emerging research highlights the hypoglycemic activities of quinones, mainly driven by their redox properties, which lead to covalent binding, and their structural substituent specificity, which leads to their non-covalent binding to biocomplexes. Quinones can improve insulin resistance and regulate glucose homeostasis by modulating mitochondrial function, inflammation, lipid profile, gastrointestinal absorption, and by acting as insulin mimetics. Meanwhile, increasing attention is being given to research focused on mitigating the toxicity of quinones during administration and enhancing their bioavailability. This review offers a critical foundation for the development of quinone-based health therapies and functional foods aimed at diabetes management.

Impacts of 2D/3D building morphology on vegetation greening trends in Hong Kong: An urban-rural contrast perspective

Building morphology profoundly impacts the microclimate, potentially affecting vegetation greening. However, the effects of 2D/3D building morphology on vegetation greening, especially the urban-rural disparities, remains understudied. In this study, we examined the effect of building morphology on vegetation greening in urban and rural areas in Hong Kong by employing a machine learning model. Vegetation greening trends were derived using the Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) through the Theil-Sen median method and the Mann-Kendall (MK) test. Results indicated a prevalent greening from 2010 to 2020, with a slope of 0.0024, and more significant in rural. Statistically significant but low correlation existed between building morphology and vegetation greening. Their relationship exhibited notable urban-rural differences and non-monotonic nonlinearity, with 3D indexes showing a stronger impact than 2D indexes. Specifically, sky view factor (SVF) dominated in urban areas, contributing 23.60%, while landscape shape index (LSI) was the key contributor in rural, accounting for 27.30%. SVF, and mean building height (MBH) transitioned from negative to positive effects, whereas landscape patch index (LPI) and edge density (ED) shifted from positive to negative effects, each with distinct "turning points" in urban and rural. LSI’s impact showed a negative-positive-negative shift in urban and a negative-positive shift in rural. Building volume density (BVD) presented a positive to negative shift in urban and negative to positive shift in rural. The identified complicated relationship deepens our understanding of the drivers of vegetation greening in the built environment, informing the optimal building morphology threshold for efficient greening effect toward sustainable development.

Light Controls in the Regulation of Carotenoid Biosynthesis in Leafy Vegetables: A Review

Leafy vegetables are excellent dietary sources of carotenoids, offering various nutritional benefits to human health. With the growing interest in health, the enhancement of functional compounds in crops through environmental control is emerging as an important topic in the field of agricultural research. Light serves as a major environmental signal regulating carotenoid levels. Light-activated photoreceptor proteins initiate intracellular signaling pathways that regulate carotenoid metabolism in response to environmental changes. Recent studies have shown that blue and ultraviolet (UV) light wavelengths are particularly effective in accumulation of foliar carotenoids, as they trigger photo-oxidative stress while activating defense mechanisms to mitigate it. Light intensity and exposure time, as quantitative aspects of light, are also involved in carotenoid biosynthesis in a similar manner. However, although previous studies provide valuable insights into light-mediated carotenoid accumulation, the interplay of light parameters (e.g., spectrum, intensity, exposure) with crop species and growth stages remains unclear due to the lack of well-organized data. In this review, we summarize recent advanced information about light-mediated carotenoid biosynthesis in leafy vegetables and highlight an integrated experimental approach to explore optimal light conditions for maximizing carotenoid accumulation in commercial production systems.

The Association of Fruits and Vegetables Consumption and COVID-19: Results from Yazd Health Study and TAMYZ Study

Background: COVID-19 has caused a high health burden worldwide and increased the need to identify factors affecting its risk. Fruits and vegetables are essential for a healthy diet and immune system function. This study investigated the associations between fruit and vegetable intake and COVID-19 incidence in a large sample of Iranian adults. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we used data from 9189 participants of Yazd Health Study (YaHS) and Taghzieh Mardom-e-Yazd (TAMIZ) study aged 20 to 70 years. Dietary intakes were assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Results: After adjusting for confounding variables, we found that higher intake of total fruit (OR: 0.42, CI: 0.20–0.83, P-trend =0.05), fresh fruit (OR: 0.46, CI: 0.23– 0.92, P-trend =0.04), green leafy vegetables (OR: 0.48, CI: 0.24–0.96, P-trend =0.08), and vitamin C (OR: 0.38, CI: 0.17– 0.81, P-trend =0.02) were associated with lower odds of COVID-19. No significant associations were observed for fruit juice, dried fruit, fruit compote, cruciferous vegetables, yellow vegetables, total vegetables and dietary fiber intake. Conclusion: Our study suggests that higher consumption of fresh fruit, total fruit, green leafy vegetables, and dietary vitamin C may reduce the risk of COVID-19. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and provide evidence-based nutritional recommendations. Furthermore, the current study's findings could be important for similar pandemics.

Novel Regulators and Their Epistatic Networks in Arabidopsis' Defence Responses to Alternaria alternata Infection.

Necrotrophic pathogens cause serious threats to agricultural crops, and understanding the resistance genes and their genetic networks is key to breeding new plant cultivars with better resistance traits. Although Alternaria alternata causes black spot in important leafy brassica vegetables, and leads to significant loss of yield and food quality, little is known about plant-A. alternata interactions. In this study, we used a unique and large collection of single, double and triple mutant lines of defence metabolite regulators in Arabidopsis to explore how these transcription factors and their epistatic networks may influence A. alternata infections. This identified nine novel regulators and 20 pairs of epistatic interactions that modulate Arabidopsis plants' defence responses to A. alternata infection. We further showed that the glucosinolate 4-methoxy-indol-3-ylmethyl is the only glucosinolate consistently responsive to A. alternata infection in Col-0 ecotype. With the further exploration of the regulators and the genetic networks on modulating the accumulation of glucosinolates under A. alternata infection, an inverted triangle regulatory model was proposed for Arabidopsis plants' defence responses at a metabolic level and a phenotypic level.

Adolescent girls' empowerment policy, health awareness, and decision-making: Evidence from the SABLA program in India.

In India, adolescent girls are highly vulnerable, facing risks that hinder their healthy development into young women. India's Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls (SABLA) aims to address these challenges by promoting health awareness and encouraging decision-making autonomy, fostering women's development. Using data from the nationally representative India Demographic and Health Survey (IDHS) and exploiting exogenous variations in the program's rollout across districts and birth cohorts, we provide evidence that exposure to SABLA increases the likelihood of young female participants using family planning and modern family planning methods. Furthermore, it indicates that participants are more likely to adopt a healthier diet, characterized by increased consumption of green leafy vegetables and reduced intake of fried foods. Additionally, the program empowers participants to have control over their financial resources. The findings also reveal a significant reduction in the likelihood of anemia among women who were exposed to the program. Notably, our results suggest that SABLA contributes to delaying women's marriage and their first childbirth. We find that women exposed to the program have fewer children than their counterparts and face fewer pregnancy losses. To account for COVID-19 disruptions, we include a COVID dummy variable. While the pandemic affected family planning, nutrition, and anemia, SABLA's positive impact on health and empowerment remains strong. Notably, it did not affect women's role in household decision-making, highlighting its lasting effect on empowerment.

Effects of Plant Growth-promoting Microorganisms on Kentucky Bluegrass Field Establishment

Slow seed germination and seedling growth cause the slow field establishment of kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis). Previous research showed that plant growth-promoting microorganisms (PGPMs) can enhance plant growth and stress tolerance. The objective of this research was to determine the effect of six commercial PGPM products on promoting kentucky bluegrass establishment in the field. Two kentucky bluegrass cultivars Kenblue (stress-sensitive) and Moonlight (stress-tolerant) were seeded at 3 lb pure live seed/1000 ft2 in Jul 2020 and 2021. Six PGPMs, Beauveria bassiana (strain GHA), Bacillus subtilis (strain GB03), Azadirachtin, Bacillus firmus (strain1-582), Trichoderma harizanum Rifai (strain T-22) combined with T. virens (strain G-41), and Bacillus subtilis (strain QST713), were applied in the field at seeding and every 10 days thereafter. The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and leaf area index (LAI) were measured at 30, 60, and 90 days after seeding. The results showed that all six PGPMs had a similar or higher NDVI and LAI compared to those of the control (i.e., tap water), with the best results seen in B. bassiana (strain GHA) [colony-forming unit (cfu)/acre = 4.8 × 1013], T. harzianum Rifai (strain T-22) (3.4 × 109 cfu/acre) + T. virens (strain G-41) (7.2 × 108 cfu/acre), and B. subtilis (strain GB03) (1.1 × 1011 cfu/acre). The efficacy of PGPMs may be enhanced when stress-tolerant plants are used and/or under cool summer conditions. Our results suggest that PGPMs have the potential to accelerate kentucky bluegrass establishment in the field.

Combining Tenebrio molitor frass with inorganic nitrogen fertilizer to improve soil properties, growth parameters, and nutrient content of Sonchus oleraceus crop

This study evaluates the impact of yellow mealworm frass in combination with an inorganic nitrogen fertilizer on growth, yield, and nutrient concentration in annual sowthistle plants. It was found that the combined application of yellow mealworm frass (YM-frass) as basal fertilizer and inorganic nitrogen fertilizer (INF) as top dressing increased the shoot biomass of annual sowthistle up to 67.2 % compared to the INF treatment (100 kg N/ha). The application of both YM-frass and INF increased P, Mg and Fe root concentration. Moreover, the lowest P and K concentration in shoot tissues were found in the unfertilized control treatment, while the reverse was the case for Ca and Fe. In conclusion, yellow mealworm frass can be used instead of inorganic basal fertilizer, whereas its combination with an inorganic nitrogen fertilizer applied as top-dressing during the vegetative growth can increase the yield and quality of leafy vegetables.

IDDMSLD: An image dataset for detecting Malabar spinach leaf diseases.

Agriculture has always played a vital role in the economic development of Bangladesh. In Agriculture, leaf diseases have become an issue because they can lead to a major drop in both quality and quantity of crops. Therefore, leveraging technology to automatically detect diseases on leaves plays an important role in farming. Malabar Spinach (Basella alba) is a well-known, widely grown leafy vegetable, which is valued for its nutritional benefits. However, there is almost no dataset that can aid in identifying diseases affecting this important crop, which often leads to decreased quality as well as financial drawback. This lack of resources makes it difficult for farmers to recognize and manage common diseases. Our purpose is to solve this problem by creating a unique dataset of Bangladesh's Malabar Spinach leaves that will ease agricultural management and disease detection. Our dataset contains both healthy and diseased samples, categorised into four common ailments: Anthracnose, Bacterial Spot, Downy Mildew, and Pest Damage. We collected 3,006 original images in total. Images were collected from various locations in Bangladesh, including Mirpur, Savar, Sirajganj and Gazipur, with photographs taken under natural lighting conditions at different times of the day. This dataset will help the researchers for further research on Malabar Spinach disease detection implementing various efficient computational models and applying advanced machine learning techniques.

Impact of power ultrasound on the quality of leafy green produce through a multifrequency, multimode, modulated system.

Ultrasound technology has been increasingly explored as an eco-friendly method to improve the microbial safety of leafy greens. However, its effect on produce quality is critical, and considerable knowledge gaps remain in this area. The present study examined the response of leafy greens to ultrasound treatment as shown by tissue damage and sensory quality, using a novel multifrequency, multimode, modulated (MMM) system to address the issue of nonuniform ultrasound field distribution. Iceberg lettuce, romaine lettuce, spinach, loose leaf lettuce and Lollo Rosso were subjected to different ultrasonication durations (1-16 min) in a MMM tubular treatment unit at 34 kHz and subsequently stored at 1 °C for three weeks. Sensory evaluations by a trained panel and electro-conductivity rate measurements were conducted to assess produce quality over time. Ultrasound treatment at an acoustic power density below 80 W/L had no significant effect (P > 0.05) on the overall sensory quality of leafy greens during 14 days of storage. Even though the electro-conductivity rate, an indicator of tissue damage, increased in ultrasound-treated samples compared to control, it did not result in perceptible changes in sensory attributes.

Long-term trends in urban vegetation greenness and its causal relationship with built-up land expansion: A case study of the Yangtze River Delta, China

Long-term trends in urban vegetation greenness and its causal relationship with built-up land expansion: A case study of the Yangtze River Delta, China

Vegetation greening and climate change respectively regulates the long-term trend and interannual variability in evapotranspiration over the Loess Plateau since the 21st century

Vegetation greening and climate change respectively regulates the long-term trend and interannual variability in evapotranspiration over the Loess Plateau since the 21st century

Nutritional Quality of « Tchonron », a Cultural Sauce Made from Adenia cissampeloïdes and Hibiscus asper Leaves Cooked with and without Potash

Leafy vegetables are an essential component of food and health security in many African countries. The Senoufo people of northern Côte d'Ivoire are well known for their high consumption of leafy vegetables, especially in « Tchonron » sauce, a traditional and cultural food prized by the Senoufo for its nutritional and therapeutic value. Unfortunately, it remains little known and little consumed by the Ivorian population. Although databases on the composition of raw foods (leafy vegetables) are available, data on cooked foods in Côte d'Ivoire are still lacking. The aim of this study was to evaluate the nutritional potential of « Tchonron » sauce prepared from Adenia cissampeloïdes (STAC) and Hibiscus asper (STHA) leaves. To prepare the « Tchonron » sauce, the leafy vegetables were pre-cooked for 20 min with or without potash and then ground. Peanut powder was then added to the crushed leaves and cooked for 10 min. The resulting sauces were dried and the powders obtained were used for analysis according to standard dietary recommendations. The results showed an increase in ash content from STHA (10.64 ± 1.25%) to STHAP (12.32 ± 1.39%) and STAC (15.70 ± 0.20%) to STACP (16.67 ± 1.02%), in fiber STHA (32.66 ± 1.29%) to STHAP (41.58 ± 1.41%) and STAC (29.85 ± 1.6%) to STACP (38.53 ± 1.62%) and in minerals in sauces prepared with potash. The content of other nutrients decreased, especially vitamin C STHA (33.51 ± 0.8%) to STHAP (17.29 ± 1.08%) and STAC (38.53%) to STACP (29.85%), unsaturated STHA (1047.03 ± 0.65%) and STHAP (898.53 ± 4.5%) and STAC (221.76 ± 4.5) to STACP (168.61 ± 0.7%). In addition, all samples had a SAIN score > 5 and a LIM score < 7.5, which is a recommended profile for health. These results showed that « Tchonron » sauce is an important source of nutrients. However, cooking « Tchonron » sauce with potash resulted in more nutrient losses than cooking without potash. An increase in the LIM score of sauces cooked with potash was also observed, so these potash-based sauces should be limited. On the other hand, sauces based on H. asper showed the best nutritional profiles.

Nitrate in raw and cooked vegetables: content, variation and influence of cooking methods

Nitrate concentrations in vegetables are pivotal in dietary nitrate benefit-risk assessments. This study examined nitrate and nitrite levels in vegetables commonly consumed in Jordan, highlighting the impact of different cooking methods (boiling, steaming, baking, stir-frying, and deep frying) on nitrate content. The study examined the nitrate and nitrite levels in 270 raw vegetables and vegetable-based dishes purchased from retail markets and restaurants in Amman, Jordan, during the winter months of 2022 and 2023. Furthermore, 91 experimentally -cooked vegetables were tested for their nitrate and nitrite contents before and after cooking to determine the effect of cooking methods on nitrate levels. The nitrate and nitrite concentrations were measured using an in-house validated molecular absorption spectrometric method. Nitrate levels varied considerably within and between vegetable groups and species. Celery had the highest mean nitrate content (1700 mg/kg), and radish (1300 mg/kg) and beetroot (900 mg/kg) were next. Approximately 32% of vegetables contained moderate amounts of nitrate (200–1000 mg/kg). Leafy greens such as spinach, tossa jute, and lettuce contain nitrates in averages exceeding 500 mg/kg. Among fruit vegetables, zucchini and eggplant have the highest mean nitrate levels (311.6 and 221.6 mg/kg, respectively). Flower, root (excluding radishes and beetroot), and legume (excluding green beans) vegetables have nitrate levels below 200 mg/kg. On average, the mean nitrite level in raw and cooked vegetables was less than 1 mg/kg. Different cooking methods influence vegetable nitrate content differently. Boiling reduced nitrate by 22-40%. Steaming had no significant impact. Although deep-frying, stir-frying, and baking increased nitrate by 130%, 66.7%, and 57.6%, respectively, the overall effect was not statistically significant for deep-frying and baking. These findings are essential for public health and food safety authorities in evaluating nitrate exposure and assessing the risk and benefit of dietary nitrate intake. The data may support the development of evidence-based guidelines for safe nitrate intake. Key words: Nitrate, nitrite, raw vegetables, cooked vegetables, cooking methods