Impact of High-Pressure Processing on Color, Microbial Safety, and 5-Methyltetrahydrofolate and Isothiocyanate Contents in Ready-to-Eat Cruciferous Sprouts
摘要
The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of high-pressure processing (HPP) on color changes, bacterial counts, myrosinase activity, the conversion rate of glucosinolates (GSL) to isothiocyanates (ITC), and the concentration of Lactobacillus rhamnosus-utilizable folate and 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF) in cruciferous sprouts. Results indicated that HPP reduced the aerobic plate counts of sprouts, achieving microbiological safety comparable to that achieved through thermal pasteurization while minimizing color changes. The broccoli and red cabbage sprouts processed by 600 MPa exhibited the highest myrosinase (MYR) activity and increased the ITC conversion rate to 37.5% and 23.5%, respectively. By contrast, the ITC conversion rates of broccoli and red cabbage sprouts treated with boiling water were only 2.32% and 1.33%, respectively. HPP at 400 MPa, with or without chicken pancreas treatment, significantly increased the 5-MTHF concentration in broccoli and red cabbage sprouts. A L. rhamnosus metabolism assay further confirmed that HPP increased folate availability for utilization by L. rhamnosus by 17.8% and 19.4% in broccoli and red cabbage sprouts, respectively, as compared to the control. Overall, the findings demonstrate that HPP not only maintains the quality of sprouts but also enhances their nutritional value, allowing consumers to increase their intake of nutrients such as ITCs and folate without altering their dietary habits.