Next Article in Journal
Simultaneously Enhancing Efficiency and Stability of Ternary Organic Solar Cells via a Benzothiadiazole-Thieno[3,2-c]isochromene-Based Small-Molecule Donor in the PTB7-Th:PC71BM System
Previous Article in Journal
Breast Cancer: Epidemiology, Molecular Classification, Diagnostics and Evolving Treatment Paradigms
 
 
Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
Journals
Molecules
Volume 31
Issue 14
10.3390/molecules31142553
molecules-logo
Submit to this Journal Review for this Journal Propose a Special Issue
► Article Menu

Article Menu

share Share announcement Help format_quote Cite question_answer Discuss in SciProfiles
first_page
settings
Order Article Reprints
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
Article

Free Sterol Content of Brassica Microgreens, Microleaves and Baby Leaves: A Quantitative Study by RPLC-APCI-HRMS

by
Valeria Cinquepalmi
1,
Ilario Losito
1,2,*,
Andrea Castellaneta
1,
Beniamino Leoni
3,
Massimiliano Renna
3,
Onofrio Davide Palmitessa
3,
Pietro Santamaria
2,3,
Cosima Damiana Calvano
1,2 and
Tommaso R. I. Cataldi
1,2
1
Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro, Via Orabona 4, 70126 Bari, Italy
2
Centro Interdipartimentale SMART, Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro, Via Orabona 4, 70126 Bari, Italy
3
Dipartimento di Scienze del Suolo, della Pianta e degli Alimenti, Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro, Via G. Amendola 165/a, 70126 Bari, Italy
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Molecules 2026, 31(14), 2553; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31142553
Submission received: 14 June 2026 / Revised: 16 July 2026 / Accepted: 21 July 2026 / Published: 22 July 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sprouts and Microgreens as Functional Foods: Phytochemistry, Mechanisms of Action, and Biological Activity)
Browse Figures
Versions Notes

Abstract

In recent years, innovative edible vegetal products, obtained by harvesting in the early stages of plant development, have emerged for their potential as sources of nutraceuticals. Phytosterols, which play important structural and regulatory roles in plant growth and membrane remodeling, are included among vegetable-related nutraceuticals due to their beneficial effects on human health. For this reason, the present study was focused on the use of RPLC-APCI-HRMS to assess, for the first time, the free sterol (FS) profiles of two edible Brassicaceae plants, namely kale (Brassica oleracea var. acephala) and broccoli raab (Brassica rapa subsp. sylvestris var. esculenta), harvested at the stages of microgreens, microleaves and baby leaves. A comparison with the respective adult forms, conventionally used as edible products upon cooking, was also performed. β-sitosterol was the prevailing FS in all products (>75%), followed by campesterol (8–15%) and isofucosterol (<3%). Total FS concentrations ranged between 13 and 23 mg/100 g fresh weight (FW) for juvenile products of the two plants under study, with the respective highest values being comparable with those found in raw or cooked mature forms (24–26 mg/100 g FW). Interestingly, a more diversified FS profile was observed for juvenile products and an increase in major FS content was observed for microleaves of the two plants cultivated during the winter cycle (January–March), compared to those cultivated in the spring cycle (March–May). These results support the hypothesis that vegetables harvested at early developmental stages may represent promising ready-to-eat alternatives to Brassica plant adult forms, as well as sources of beneficial phytosterols.
Keywords: free sterols; kale; broccoli raab; microgreens; microleaves; baby leaves; atmospheric pressure chemical ionization high-resolution mass spectrometry free sterols; kale; broccoli raab; microgreens; microleaves; baby leaves; atmospheric pressure chemical ionization high-resolution mass spectrometry
Graphical Abstract

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Cinquepalmi, V.; Losito, I.; Castellaneta, A.; Leoni, B.; Renna, M.; Palmitessa, O.D.; Santamaria, P.; Calvano, C.D.; Cataldi, T.R.I. Free Sterol Content of Brassica Microgreens, Microleaves and Baby Leaves: A Quantitative Study by RPLC-APCI-HRMS. Molecules 2026, 31, 2553. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31142553

AMA Style

Cinquepalmi V, Losito I, Castellaneta A, Leoni B, Renna M, Palmitessa OD, Santamaria P, Calvano CD, Cataldi TRI. Free Sterol Content of Brassica Microgreens, Microleaves and Baby Leaves: A Quantitative Study by RPLC-APCI-HRMS. Molecules. 2026; 31(14):2553. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31142553

Chicago/Turabian Style

Cinquepalmi, Valeria, Ilario Losito, Andrea Castellaneta, Beniamino Leoni, Massimiliano Renna, Onofrio Davide Palmitessa, Pietro Santamaria, Cosima Damiana Calvano, and Tommaso R. I. Cataldi. 2026. "Free Sterol Content of Brassica Microgreens, Microleaves and Baby Leaves: A Quantitative Study by RPLC-APCI-HRMS" Molecules 31, no. 14: 2553. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31142553

APA Style

Cinquepalmi, V., Losito, I., Castellaneta, A., Leoni, B., Renna, M., Palmitessa, O. D., Santamaria, P., Calvano, C. D., & Cataldi, T. R. I. (2026). Free Sterol Content of Brassica Microgreens, Microleaves and Baby Leaves: A Quantitative Study by RPLC-APCI-HRMS. Molecules, 31(14), 2553. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31142553

Article Metrics

Back to TopTop