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Ultraviolet‐B light treatment increases antioxidant capacity of carrot products
Author(s) -
AvenaBustillos Roberto J,
Du WenXian,
Woods Rachelle,
Olson Donald,
Breksa Andrew P,
McHugh Tara H
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/jsfa.5635
Subject(s) - chemistry , antioxidant , antioxidant capacity , food science , postharvest , phenylalanine , polyphenol , incubation , biochemistry , botany , biology , amino acid
BACKGROUND: The effect of ultraviolet‐B (UV‐B) light as a postharvest treatment to enhance the antioxidant content of carrots and fresh‐cut carrot products was evaluated. Four levels of UV‐B dose ranging from 1.3 to 12 kJ m −2 were applied to whole, baby and various styles of cut carrots, and the changes in antioxidant capacity, total soluble phenolics and phenylalanine ammonia‐lyase (PAL, EC 4.3.1.24) activity were measured after a 3 day incubation period at 15 °C and 45% relative humidity. RESULTS: Both cutting style and dose level were factors in determining carrot responses to UV‐B treatment. Antioxidant capacity increased significantly (1.4–6.6‐fold). Total soluble phenolic results correlated directly with those of antioxidant capacity ( R 2 = 0.953), indicating that the enhancements achieved were due to an increase in phenolic content. High‐performance liquid chromatography analysis revealed that 5‐ O ‐caffeoylquinic acid (5‐CQA) was the primary phenolic responsible for this increase. Higher PAL activity was also observed in UV‐B‐treated samples, indicating that the increase in 5‐CQA was a biological response to UV‐B exposure. CONCLUSION: UV‐B treatment has the potential to increase the nutritional value of carrots and offers an exciting opportunity to increase consumer accessibility to dietary choices that are rich in antioxidants. Published 2012 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.