Thermosonication for the Production of Sulforaphane Rich Broccoli Ingredients

Abstract

A large proportion of broccoli biomass is lost during primary production, distribution, processing, and consumption. This biomass is rich in polyphenols and glucosinolates and can be used for the production of bioactive rich ingredients for food and nutraceutical applications. This study evaluated thermosonication (TS) (18 kHz, 0.6 W/g, 40–60 °C, 3–7 min) for the pre-treatment of broccoli florets to enhance enzymatic conversion of glucoraphanin into the bioactive sulforaphane. TS significantly increased sulforaphane yield, despite a decrease in myrosinase activity with increasing treatment intensity. The highest sulforaphane yield of ~2.9 times that of untreated broccoli was observed for broccoli thermosonicated for 7 min at 60 °C, which was 15.8% higher than the corresponding yield for thermal processing without sonication (TP) at the same condition. This was accompanied by increase in the residual level of glucoraphanin (~1.8 and 2.3 time respectively after TP and TS at 60 °C for 7 min compared to control samples) indicating that treatment-induced release of bound glucoraphanin from the cell wall matrix and improved accessibility could be at least partially responsible for the enhanced sulforaphane yield. The result indicates the potential of TS for the conversion of broccoli biomass into high sulforaphane broccoli-based ingredients.

The Metabolism of Glucosinolates by Gut Microbiota

“…As pointed out in Figure 1 , GLS enzymatic hydrolysis can form appropriate derivatives dependently of the presence of certain cofactors and specific environmental conditions. The main products that can be generated are epithionitriles, isothiocyanates, nitriles, and thiocyanates [ 8 , 9 , 11 , 28 ] ( Table 1 ).…”

“…These compounds are a result of enzymatic hydrolysis of GLS (if R contains double bond) but in the presence of ESP (epithiospecifier proteins) as a cofactor of myrosinase and pH < 6.5 [ 1 , 28 , 45 ]. The ESP presence not only promotes the formation of epithionitriles (and nitriles) but also a reduction of ITCs [ 46 , 47 ].…”

Effects of ultrasound on the techno-functional properties of milk proteins: A systematic review

“…Ultrasound has been used for several purposes, such as emulsification [9] and extraction [10] . Ultrasound also has a great potential in food safety and can improve and facilitate food processes without compromising food quality [11] , [12] , [13] , [14] , [15] .…”

Evaluation of Phytochemical Content and the Antioxidant and Antiproliferative Potentials of Leaf Layers of Cabbage Subjected to Hot Air and Freeze-Drying

“…Cabbage is rich in glucosinolates (GLSs) and isothiocyanates (ITCs) [3]. Glucosinolates, precursors of isothiocyanates, are hydrolyzed into isothiocyanates via the enzyme myrosinase, which is discharged when the plant part including the GLS fraction is broken due to chewing, heating, or insect attack [20,21]. Once the GSLs are ingested, the absorption of a small portion of intact GSLs can occur in the stomach, although most transit to the colon where they are hydrolyzed by bacterial myrosinase activity, and the generated ITCs are absorbed by the lining of the small intestine [22].…”

“…Phenyl isothiocyanate (PEITC), which is biosynthesized from gluconasturtiin by the action of the enzyme myrosinase [27], has been studied for its potential antiproliferative effects in prostate [28], breast [29], and pancreatic cancer cells [30]. L-sulforaphane, obtained from enzymatic hydrolysis of glucoraphanin by the enzyme myrosinase [20], has also been reported to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer effects [31]. Here, considering the importance of ITCs as emerging antioxidant and anticancer agents, we quantified the amounts of these three representative ITCs (L-sulforaphane, PEITC, and erucin) in the different cabbage layers processed by hot air drying or freeze-drying (Figure 3 and Table S2).…”