Fresh-cut aromatic herbs: Nutritional quality stability during shelf-life

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2014

Authors

Santos, J (Author) Other; Herrero, M (Author) Other; Mendiola, JA (Author) Other; Oliva Teles, MT (Author) Other; Ibanez, E (Author) Other; Delerue Matos, C (Author) Other; Oliveira, MBPP (Author) FFUP

Journal

Title: LWT - Food Science and Technology

Vol. 59

Pages: 101-107

ISSN: 0023-6438

Publisher: Elsevier

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 13 Citations

Scopus - 28 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Agrarian Sciences > Other Agrarian Sciences

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-009-QE8

DOI: 10.1016/j.lwt.2014.05.019

Abstract (EN): Fresh-cut vegetables are a successful convenient healthy food. Nowadays, the presence of new varieties of minimally processed vegetables in the market is common in response to the consumers demand for new flavours and high quality products. Within the most recent fresh-cut products are the aromatic herbs. In this work, the objective was to evaluate the nutritional quality and stability of four fresh-cut aromatic herbs. Several physicochemical quality characteristics (colour, pH, total soluble solids, and total titratable acidity) were monitored in fresh-cut chives, coriander, spearmint and parsley leaves, stored under refrigeration (3 +/- 1 degrees C) during 10 days. Their nutritional composition was determined, including mineral composition (phosphorous, potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, manganese and copper) and fat- and water-soluble vitamin contents. Total soluble phenolics, flavonoids and the antioxidant capacity were determined by spectrophotometric methods. The aromatic herbs kept their fresh appearance during the storage, maintaining their colour throughout shelf-life. Their macronutrient composition and mineral content were stable during storage. Coriander had the highest mineral and fat-soluble vitamin content, while spearmint showed the best scores in the phenolic, flavonoid and antioxidant capacity assays. Vitamins and antioxidant capacity showed some variation during storage, with a differential behaviour of each compound according to the sample.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 7