Quality and Potential Healthy Traits in Vegetables and Berries

Abstract

In recent years, the sensitivity of consumers and producers towards the environment and health topics has increased significantly, and these issues are involving more and more the agricultural world. Much has been done in terms of cropping systems and technology, but the issues relating to the quality and nutritional value of products turn out to be more complex and sensitive. In this regard, the consumer is more aware of these issues thanks to the many suggestions offered daily both in the health and in a healthy diet.In this sense, this chapter aims to provide a current status of the concept of quality in the context of vegetable products and highlight its importance especially in order to promote vegetables by improving the final consumer diet. In this regard, the indicative pattern of the chapter could include three main sections. The first concerns about the identification and exploration of the quality concept and its evolution over time with respect to all aspects that contribute to its perception by the consumer. Moreover the technical-agronomic factors and environmental factors that determine the product quality associated with pre-harvest until the ripening stage will be considered. Finally, in the last section of this chapter, we will refer to the quality maintenance in post-harvest considering the evolution of multiple physiological aspects (antioxidants, phenols, vitamins, macro-and micronutrients, etc.) to the hypothetical purchase of the product by the consumer. During all the steps described so far, in which quality is involved, we will consider the potential health traits and benefits relevant to the health of the consumer trying to provide a clear and complete view in this research field.

Bioactive components, ABTS radical scavenging capacity and physical stability of orange, yellow and purple sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) powder processed by convection‐ or vacuum‐drying methods

“…Carotenoids are also considered as the potent singlet oxygen quenchers as they exhibit conjugate double bonds on the extended chain of the molecular structure, which enables the carotenoids to easily accept electrons and thus preventing oxidation (Fig. c) (Sambo & Nicoletto, ).…”