Health-Promoting Properties of Fresh and Processed Purple Cauliflower

Glucosinolates and Polyphenols of Colored Cauliflower as Chemical Discriminants Based on Cooking Procedures

The impact of mild oven treatments (steaming or sous-vide) and boiling for 10 min, 25 min, or 40 min on health-promoting phytochemicals in orange and violet cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L. var. botrytis) was investigated. For this purpose, targeted ultra-high performance liquid chromatography–high-resolution mass spectrometry analysis of phenolics and glycosylates, combined with chemometrics, was employed. Regardless of cooking time, clear differentiation of cooked samples obtained using different procedures was achieved, thus demonstrating the distinct impact of cooking approaches on sample phytochemical profile (both, compound distribution and content). The main responsible components for the observed discrimination were derivatives of hydroxycinnamic acid and kaempferol, organic acids, indolic, and aromatic glucosinolates, with glucosativin that was found, for the first time, as a discriminant chemical descriptor in colored cauliflower submitted to steaming and sous-vide. The obtained findings also highlighted a strict relationship between the impact of the cooking technique used and the type of cauliflower. The boiling process significantly affected the phytochemicals in violet cauliflower whereas orange cauliflower boiled samples were grouped between raw and either steamed or sous-vide-cooked samples. Finally, the results confirm that the proposed methodology is capable of discriminating cauliflower samples based on their phytochemical profiles and identifying the cooking procedure able to preserve bioactive constituents.

Nitrate, nitrite and nitrosamines in the global food supply

Inorganic nitrate provided by either nitrate salts or food supplements may improve cardiometabolic health. However, current methods to assess dietary nitrate, nitrite and nitrosamine consumption are inadequate. The purpose of this study was to develop a reference database to estimate the levels of nitrate, nitrite and nitrosamines in the global food supply. A systematic literature search was undertaken; of the 5,747 articles screened, 448 met the inclusion criteria. The final database included data for 1,980 food and beverages from 65 different countries. There were 5,105 unique records for nitrate, 2,707 for nitrite, and 954 for nitrosamine. For ease of use, data were sorted into 12 categories; regarding nitrate and nitrite concentrations in food and beverages, 'vegetables and herbs' were most reported in the literature (n = 3,268 and n = 1,200, respectively). For nitrosamines, 'protein foods of animal origin' were most reported (n = 398 records). This database will allow researchers and practitioners to confidently estimate dietary intake of nitrate, nitrite and nitrosamines. When paired with health data, our database can be used to investigate associations between nitrate intake and health outcomes, and/or exercise performance and could support the development of key dietary nitrate intake guidelines.

Exogenous Proline, Methionine, and Melatonin Stimulate Growth, Quality, and Drought Tolerance in Cauliflower Plants

The impact of proline, methionine, and melatonin on cauliflower plants under drought stress is still unclear in the available publications. So, this research aims to study these biochemical compounds’ effects on cauliflower plants grown under well-irrigated and drought-stressed conditions. The obtained results showed that under drought-stressed conditions, foliar application of proline, methionine, and melatonin significantly (p ≤ 0.05) enhanced leaf area, leaf chlorophyll content, leaf relative water content (RWC), vitamin C, proline, total soluble sugar, reducing sugar, and non-reducing sugar compared to the untreated plants. These treatments also significantly increased curd height, curd diameter, curd freshness, and dry matter compared to untreated plants. Conversely, the phenolic-related enzymes including polyphenol oxidase (PPO), peroxidase (POD), and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) were significantly reduced compared to the untreated plants. A similar trend was observed in glucosinolates, abscisic acid (ABA), malondialdehyde (MDA), and total phenols. Eventually, it can be concluded that the foliar application of proline, methionine, and melatonin can be considered a proper strategy for enhancing the growth performance and productivity of cauliflower grown under drought-stressed conditions.

Impact of High-Pressure Processing (HPP) on Selected Quality and Nutritional Parameters of Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. Botrytis)

In recent years, innovative food processing methods, such as high-pressure processing (HPP) treatment, have been shown to improve food quality. The purpose of this work was to determine the effects of high-pressure processing (HPP; 400 and 600 MPa for 2 or 5 min, 20 °C) of cauliflower. Microbial shelf-life (total aerobic count and spores), texture, color, drip loss, dry matter, antioxidative capacity, total phenolic content, and ascorbic acid were analyzed before and after processing, as well as during storage (4 °C) for up to 42 days. Among the different treatments, HPP at 600 MPa exhibited low microbial counts between days 14 and 28 of storage, while at 400 MPa already had high bacterial counts between days 7 and 14. HPP at both 400 and 600 MPa was the best method to maintain the color during storage. The texture of the cauliflower did not differ from the control during storage for HPP. For all samples, the dry matter content remained stable during storage, with few differences between treatments. The nutritional quality of high-pressure-processed cauliflower at 600 MPa for 2 min remained high until day 28. The overall results of this study demonstrate that HPP has the potential to preserve the quality of cauliflower.

Enhancement of Bioactive Constituents in Fresh Cauliflower By-Products in Challenging Climate Conditions

In order to mitigate the detrimental impact that climate change is having on plants, the study of new practices that allow for the reduction of such effects has become imperative. In addition, the revaluation of the promotion of healthy plant by-products has also markedly increased in importance in recent years. In this work, the modifications in biomass and some antioxidant compounds of cauliflower by-products treated with putrescine under extreme temperatures in two different CO₂ scenarios (the control (400 ppm) and a high concentration of CO₂ (1000 ppm)) were studied. Additionally, the compositions of inner and outer leaves were also compared. According to results found in this work, cauliflower grown under elevated CO₂ and treated with putrescine (2.5 mM) prior to heat stress showed the highest biomass accumulation (20%) compared to the control. Moreover, in the outer leaves from cauliflower grown under elevated CO₂ and treated with putrescine prior to high temperature exposure, the highest biosynthesis of sugars (20%) was recorded. Although cauliflower by-products turned out to be rich in polyamines (208.6 nmoles g⁻¹ fresh weight (FW) and 124.3 nmoles g⁻¹ FW for outer and inner leaves, respectively) and phenolic compounds (1070.2 mg gallic acid equivalents ( (GAE) 100 g⁻¹ FW in outer leaves and 772.0 mg GAE 100 g⁻¹ FW in inner leaves), it was the outer leaves that after applying the new strategy showed the greatest increase in polyamines (68%) and phenolic compounds (39%), obtaining here the highest increase in antioxidant activity (3%). Thus, they should no longer be regarded as mere by-products and should be used for pharmaceutical or nutraceutical purposes. The novel strategy presented in this work may allow us to take advantage of both the continued increase in CO₂ and heat waves that are becoming more frequent.

Effects of the Use of Different Temperature and Calcium Chloride Treatments during Storage on the Quality of Fresh-Cut “Xuebai” Cauliflowers

This study revealed the effect of the use of different temperature and calcium chloride (CaCl₂) treatments on the storage quality of fresh-cut “Xuebai” cauliflowers. Fresh-cut “Xuebai” cauliflowers were soaked with 2% CaCl₂ solution at different temperatures. The change in the firmness, color, and ascorbic acid (ASA), total glucosinolates (TGLS), polygalacturonase (PG), and lipoxygenase (LOX) content of fresh-cut “Xuebai” cauliflowers during the cold storage period was assessed. In addition, the sensory quality was also evaluated. The results show that the combined treatments with CaCl₂ at different temperatures could effectively maintain the storage quality of fresh-cut “Xuebai” cauliflowers. Then, a method based on factor analysis with comprehensive quality evaluation was proposed. A factor analysis with a principal component analysis (PCA) was conducted on nine indicators of cauliflowers. Two principal components were extracted with a cumulative contribution rate of 97.513%. The results demonstrated that the treatment with the best fresh-keeping effect of cauliflowers in storage was the combination treatment at 40 °C with 2% CaCl₂ solution, while the optimal storage period was 15 days.

Food Choices and Their Impact on Health and Environment

Food choices are complex and highly variable, even over short periods, as they are influenced by numerous psychological, social, and cultural factors, in addition to biological and economic ones. Consumer choices are increasingly complex because of the growing quantity and variety of available food products, which also affects individuals’ environments. This paper is part of a larger study on health-related food choices, and it discusses how food choices affect the environment. To achieve the research goal, classes of respondents that are homogeneous in their food choices were identified. The authors used an algorithm to build classification trees and found that health status is determined by respondents’ age and food consumption habits. The paper demonstrates that understanding individual nutritional choices is a prerequisite for changing consumption habits and shaping healthy behavior, which is in line with the principle of sustainable development through sustainable consumption. The findings are relevant to public health researchers and practitioners who wish to understand the relationship between nutritional practices and health in line with sustainable development.

Modeling Softening Kinetics at Cellular Scale and Phytochemicals Extractability in Cauliflower under Different Cooking Treatments

The effects induced by heat on Depurple and Cheddar (Brassica oleracea L. var. botrytis) during boiling, steaming, and sous-vide were investigated to elucidate the role of the basic cellular elements in softening and extractability of sterols and tocopherols. With this aim, an elastoplastic mechanical model was conceptualized at a cell scale-size and validated under creep experiments. The total amount of the phytochemicals was used to validate multivariate regression models in forecasting. Boiling was the most effective method to enhance the softening mechanisms causing tissue decompartmentalization through cell wall loosening with respect to those causing cell separation, having no impact on the phytochemical extractability. Sous-vide showed the lowest impact on cell wall integrity, but the highest in terms of cell separation. Steaming showed an intermediate behavior. Tissue of the Depurple cauliflower was the most resistant to the heat, irrespectively to the heating technology. Local heterogeneity in the cell wall and cell membrane, expected as a plant variety-dependent functional property, was proposed as a possible explanation because sterol extractability under lower heat-transfer efficiency, i.e., steaming and sous-vide, decreased in Depurple and increased in Cheddar as well as because the extractability of sterols and tocopherols was greater in Cheddar.

The Effect of Foliar Putrescine Application, Ammonium Exposure, and Heat Stress on Antioxidant Compounds in Cauliflower Waste

This work has been focused on the study of how we can affect the short heat stress on the bioactive compounds content. Some recent investigations have observed that management of nitrogen fertilization can alleviate short-term heat effects on plants. Additionally, the short-term heat stress can be also ameliorated by using putrescine, a polyamine, due to its crucial role in the adaptation of plants to heat stress Therefore, different NO₃⁻/NH₄⁺ ratios and a foliar putrescine treatment have been used in order to increase tolerance to thermal stress in order to take advantage of the more frequent and intense heat waves and make this crop more sustainable. So, other objective of this work is to make the cauliflower waste more attractive for nutraceutical and pharmaceutical preparations. Thus, the effect of a thermal stress combined with a 50:50 NO₃⁻/NH₄⁺ ratio in the nutrient solution, and the foliar application of 2.5 mM putrescine increased in the content of various sugars (inositol, glucose, and fructose), total phenolic compounds and polyamines, as well as in the antioxidant activity. The greatest accumulation of these compounds was observed in young leaves. Our results show from a physiological and agronomic point of view, that the foliar application of putrescine and the 50:50 NO₃⁻/NH₄⁺ treatment managed to alleviate the negative effects of the abiotic stress suffered at high temperature, yielding plants with higher antioxidant compounds content.

Impact of Mild Oven Cooking Treatments on Carotenoids and Tocopherols of Cheddar and Depurple Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L. var. botrytis)

The effect of steam and sous-vide oven procedures on liposoluble antioxidants of colored cauliflower (orange and purple) was assessed for the first time and compared with domestic practice (boiling). In raw samples, the total carotenoid content was 10-fold higher in Cheddar than in Depurple (20.9 ± 2.1 vs. 2.3 ± 0.5 mg/kg dry weight), whereas the level of tocopherols was similar (28.5 ± 4.4 vs. 33 ± 5.2 mg/kg dry weight). The Cheddar liposoluble antioxidant matter contained violaxanthin, neoxanthin, α-carotene and δ-tocopherol, not detected in Depurple. All tests increased the bioactive compounds extractability with steam oven and sous-vide displaying similar effects, lower than boiling. In boiled Cheddar cauliflower, the total carotenoids and tocopherols contents increased with cooking time until they were 13-fold and 6-fold more than in raw cauliflower, respectively. Conversely, in the Depurple variety, contents increased by half with respect to the orange variety. However, from a nutritional point of view, no differences were revealed among the three different cooking treatments in terms of vitamin A and E levels expressed in μg/100 g of fresh vegetable because of the higher water content of boiled samples that must be considered when evaluating the effect of thermal treatment on cauliflower nutritional traits.

Merging Heat Stress Tolerance and Health-Promoting Properties: The Effects of Exogenous Arginine in Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis L.)

In the last decades, cauliflower consumption has increased due to its observed beneficial effects on human health, especially on chronic diseases. Furthermore, the use of arginine has been shown to improve the heat stress tolerance of plants by increasing the polyamine content. Thus, we aimed to investigate the effects of the exogenous application of arginine on the physical and chemical quality parameters of cauliflower florets under heat stress. For this, we applied two concentrations of arginine (1 and 4 mM) to the leaves of cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis L.) plants grown in three different temperatures (ambient, elevated, and extreme). Our data show that potassium and phosphate, as well as iron were the most abundant macro- and micronutrients, respectively. The combination of high temperature and exogenous application of arginine increased the antioxidant activity, total content of phenolic compounds, polyamines, and proteins. The data presented herein indicate that the combination of an adequate heat stress and the appropriate foliar arginine treatment may be a useful strategy that could be used to increase the number of valuable plant compounds in our diet.

Renewable Energy Promotion Instruments Used by Innovation Brokers in a Technology Transfer Network. Case Study of the Enterprise Europe Network

Stable and sustainable economic development—including that of renewable energy resources (RES)—requires institutional support of an environment that would enable market operations, and support them in case they are ineffective. Innovation brokers, including structured technology transfer networks, play a key role in promoting, disseminating, and liaising between the parties in the RES sector. The aim of the paper is to present the structure of events used to promote RES in Europe by the Enterprise Europe Network in the years 2017–2018; to verify whether the type of promotion instrument used is significantly related to the location of the events organized; to research whether the selection of the supporting partner is determined by the organized event’s geographical location. The analysis is carried out by means of an empirical study of the network of innovation brokers, i.e., the Enterprise Europe Network. Additionally, the available data are analyzed in terms of the type of the partner supporting individual events. It has been shown that there is a significant variation in the structure of the types of events for individual regions of Europe. This could mean that the organizers’ decisions as to the type of events organized in particular regions of Europe are deliberate and in some way adjusted to the region in which they take place.

Promotion of RES in a Technology Transfer Network. Case Study of the Enterprise Europe Network

The promotion of renewable energy is a key concept in the European Union for both environmental and economic reasons. It contributes to securing the objectives set out in the Kyoto Protocol. In addition, it brings various social and economic benefits, e.g., diversification of the energy offer, new jobs, improvement of regional and local development opportunities and building a solid national industry. The main purpose of the article is to contribute to the debate on the instruments promoting renewable energy sources (RES) by emphasizing its importance within the technology transfer network. The subject is an empirical study of an actual technology transfer network. Its international activity promotes RES among entrepreneurs. Data related to meetings as part of brokerage events (BE) and company missions (CM) were subject to statistical and visual analysis, based on the data obtained from the Enterprise Europe Network from the years 2017–2018. The presented results are the foundation for future theoretical and practical studies. One of the important aspects to be examined is the intensity of cooperation launched during CM and BE. It is related to the results of partnership agreements and the importance of increasing the knowledge flow and creating opportunities for partners to acquire foreign technologies.

Dietary Fiber from Underutilized Plant Resources—A Positive Approach for Valorization of Fruit and Vegetable Wastes

Agri-food industries generate enormous amounts of fruit and vegetable processing wastes, which opens up an important research area aimed towards minimizing and managing them efficiently to support zero wastes and/or circular economy concept. These wastes remain underutilized owing to a lack of appropriate processing technologies vital for their efficient valorization, especially for recovery of health beneficial bioactives like dietary fibers. Dietary fiber finds wide applications in food and pharmaceutical industries and holds high promise as a potential food additive and/or as a functional food ingredient to meet the techno-functional purposes important for developing health-promoting value-added products. Based on this, the present review has been designed to support ‘zero waste’ and ‘waste to wealth’ concepts. In addition, the focus revolves around providing updated information on various sustainability challenges incurred towards valorization of fruit and vegetable wastes for extraction of health promoting dietary fibers.

The Impact of a Controlled-Release Fertilizer on Greenhouse Gas Emissions and the Efficiency of the Production of Chinese Cabbage

Optimization of plant fertilization is an important element of all quality systems in primary production, such as Integrated Production, GLOBAL G.A.P. (Good Agriculture Practice) or SAI (Sustainable Agriculture Initiative). Fertilization is the most important element of agricultural treatments, affecting the quantity and quality of crops. The aim of the study was to assess greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the cultivation of Chinese cabbage, depending on the technological variant. The factor modifying the production technology was the use of fertilizers with a slow release of nutrients. One tonne of marketable Chinese cabbage crop was selected as the functional unit. To achieve the research goal, a strict field experiment was carried out. Calculation of the total amount of GHG emitted from the crop was made in accordance with ISO 14040 and ISO 14044. The system boundaries included the production and use of fertilizers and pesticides, energy consumption for agricultural practices and the emission of gases from soil resources and harvesting residue. The use of slow-release fertilizers resulted in a greater marketable yield of cabbage compared to conventional fertilizers. The results of the research indicate a significant potential for the use of slow-release fertilizers in reducing agricultural emissions. From the environmental and production point of view, the most favourable variant is the one with 108 kg N·ha−1 slow-release fertilizers. At a higher dose of this element, no increase in crop yield was observed. At this nitrogen dose, a 30% reduction in total GHG emissions and a 50% reduction in fertilizer emissions from the use of per product functional unit were observed. The reference object was fertilization in accordance with production practice in the test area.

The Effect of the Addition of a Fat Emulsifier on the Amount and Quality of the Obtained Biogas

Slaughterhouse waste management is an important technological, economic, and environmental challenge. Recently, more and more attention has been paid to the possibility of obtaining biogas from waste generated by slaughterhouses. The aim of the paper was to examine the effect of an emulsifier addition in the form of a carboxymethyl cellulose solution to create animal waste fermentation media based on the quantity and quality of the generated biogas. The adopted research goal was achieved based on a laboratory experiment of methane fermenting poultry processing waste. The waste was divided into two fractions: soft (tissue) and hard (bone). A fat emulsifier in a concentration of 1%, 2.5%, 5%, and 10% of fresh weight of the substrate was added to each substrate sample made from the above fractions. The emulsifier used was a 55% carboxymethyl cellulose solution, since this emulsifier is most commonly used in food production. The experiment was conducted in order to determine how the addition of an emulsifier (55% carboxymethylcellulose solution) affects the hydration of fats during methane fermentation, as demonstrated on poultry slaughterhouse waste. The samples were subjected to static methane fermentation, according to the methodology of DIM DIN 38414(DIN Deutches Institut für Normung). The experiment lasted 30 days. The total amount of biogas obtained after fermentation was 398 mL·g−1 for the soft fraction and 402 mL·g−1 for the hard fraction. In the case of the soft waste fraction, the addition of carboxymethylcellulose at 1% of the mass to the biogas process increased the amount of obtained biogas by 16%. In the case of the hard fraction, no effect of the addition of emulsifier on the total amount of biogas obtained was identified. In each case, the biogas from substrates with added emulsifier contained less methane and slightly more carbon. The emulsifier added to the soft fraction of slaughterhouse waste from poultry processing allowed cutting the process of methanogenesis by over 50% while maintaining the efficiency of biogas production. In the case of biogasification of bone tissue, no unambiguous effect of the addition of emulsifier on the improvement of process efficiency was identified.

Assessment of the Efficiency of Nitrogen Slow-Release Fertilizers in Integrated Production of Carrot Depending on Fertilization Strategy

Optimization of plant nutrition is a very important part of primary production quality systems. Crop fertilization is the most important agrotechnical measure because it determines the amount and quality of the yield. Moreover, excess fertilization intensifies the eutrophication processes and the greenhouse effect. The study aimed to assess the suitability of slow-release fertilizers in cultivation of carrot subspecies Daucus carota L. ssp. sativus in the integrated production system. The objective was realized on the basis of a strict field experiment set up on a clay loam soil with low nutrient content. The dose of fertilizer was the experimental factor. The fertilizers were applied during the formation of the ridges. Traditional fertilizers (ammonium phosphate, potassium salt, ammonium nitrate, and a multi-component fertilizer Polifoska 6), as well as a multi-component fertilizer with slow release of nutrients, NPK Mg (18-12-24-4), were used. In individual variants of the experiment, different fertilization strategies were applied: integrated production fertilization, traditional fertilization, and fertilization based on the use of slow-release fertilizers. The control treatment comprised of unfertilized plants. The efficiency of nitrogen fertilization was evaluated based on agronomic efficiency, partial factor productivity, physiological efficiency, and removal efficiency. Fertilization strategy significantly impacted the quantity of obtained yield. In the control sample, prior to mineral fertilization, the crop yield was 33.53 Mg·ha−1. The largest yield was 82.30 Mg·ha−1.The largest yields were obtained from plants fertilized with a combination of slow-release fertilizers, with nitrogen introduced in the form of ammonium phosphate, and through conventional fertilization. The highest productivity and environmental efficiency were obtained in treatments with fertilization according to the principles of integrated production and with slow-release fertilizers. In terms of environmental efficiency, the best results were obtained through nitrogen fertilization using 400 kg of slow-release fertilizers. The use of slow-release fertilizers in carrot cultivation can significantly improve the efficiency of fertilization, both in terms of production and environmental protection.

Grown to be Blue-Antioxidant Properties and Health Effects of Colored Vegetables. Part II: Leafy, Fruit, and Other Vegetables

The current trend for substituting synthetic compounds with natural ones in the design and production of functional and healthy foods has increased the research interest about natural colorants. Although coloring agents from plant origin are already used in the food and beverage industry, the market and consumer demands for novel and diverse food products are increasing and new plant sources are explored. Fresh vegetables are considered a good source of such compounds, especially when considering the great color diversity that exists among the various species or even the cultivars within the same species. In the present review we aim to present the most common species of colored vegetables, focusing on leafy and fruit vegetables, as well as on vegetables where other plant parts are commercially used, with special attention to blue color. The compounds that are responsible for the uncommon colors will be also presented and their beneficial health effects and antioxidant properties will be unraveled.

Impact of Integrated and Conventional Plant Production on Selected Soil Parameters in Carrot Production

Currently, the level of efficiency of an effective agricultural production process is determined by how it reduces natural environmental hazards caused by various types of technologies and means of agricultural production. Compared to conventional production, the aim of integrated agricultural cultivation on commercial farms is to maximize yields while minimizing costs resulting from the limited use of chemical and mineral means of production. As a result, the factor determining the level of obtained yield is the soil’s richness in nutrients. The purpose of this study was to conduct a comparative analysis of soil richness, depending on the production system appropriate for a given farm. The analysis was conducted for two comparative groups of farms with an integrated and conventional production system. The farms included in the research belonged to two groups of agricultural producers and specialized in carrot production.

Modeling the Dependency between Extreme Prices of Selected Agricultural Products on the Derivatives Market Using the Linkage Function

The purpose of the article is to identify and estimate the dependency model for the extreme prices of agricultural products listed on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. The article presents the results of the first stage of research covering the time interval 1975–2010. The selected products are: Corn, soybean and wheat. The analysis of the dependency between extreme price values on the selected futures was based on the estimation of five models of two-dimensional extreme value copulas, namely, the Galambos copula, the Gumbel copula, the Husler–Reiss copula, the Tawn asymmetric copula and the t-EV copula. The next stage of the analysis was to test whether the structure of the dependency described with the estimated copulas is a sufficient approximation of reality, and whether it is suitable for modeling empirical data. The quality of matching the estimated copulas to empirical data of return rates of agricultural products was assessed. For this purpose, the Kendall coefficient was calculated, and the methodology of the empirical combining function was used. The conducted research allowed for the determination of the conduct for this kind of phenomena as it is crucial in the process of investing in derivatives markets. The analyzed phenomena are highly dependent on e.g., financial crises, war, or market speculation but also on drought, fires, rainfall, or even crop oversupply. The conducted analysis is of key importance in terms of balancing agricultural production on a global scale. It should be emphasized that conducting market analysis of agricultural products at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange in the context of competition with the agricultural market of the European Union is of significant importance.