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Agriculture
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Nutritional Quality and Health of Vegetables
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Nutritional Quality and Health of Vegetables

A special issue of Agriculture (ISSN 2077-0472). This special issue belongs to the section "Agricultural Product Quality and Safety".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 October 2024) | Viewed by 6330

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Hongju He

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Guest Editor
Institute of Agri-Food Processing and Nutrition, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing 100097, China
Interests: vegetables; nutritional quality; bioactive substances; quality regulation; quality analysis; metabolism
Prof. Dr. Said A. Saleh

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Guest Editor
Horticultural Crops Technology Department, Agricultural & Biological Research Institute, National Research Centre, Dokki, Cairo 12622, Egypt
Interests: vegetables; nutritional quality; cultivation; quality regulation; quality standards
Prof. Dr. Chen Xiangning

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Food Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing 102206, China
Interests: vegetables; nutritional quality; postharvest and processing; preservation; quality standards; health functions

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Increasing interest in maintaining and enhancing human health has highlighted the awareness of the nutritional quality of vegetables available to consumers. Vegetables provide vitamins, minerals, dietary fibres and health-promoting bioactive compounds. Increasing intake of vegetables is one of the principal recommendations of dietary guidelines for healthy eating worldwide. Numerous studies have documented the association between the consumption of vegetables and a lower risk of cardiovascular disorders, cancer, and diabetes mellitus. Providing consumers with vegetables of high nutritional quality is a mutual goal for breeding, cultivation, postharvest and processing.

This Special Issue focuses on the nutritional quality and human health of vegetable crops from farm to table tracking through the food industry. The issue will include interdisciplinary studies embracing agriculture with disciplines of biology, chemistry and medicine. Research articles will cover a broad range of vegetable germplasm evaluation, quality improvement by breeding, cultivation and quality regulation, technologies for postharvest storage and processing, modern analytical techniques, nutritional quality standards, metabolism and biotechnology as well as health functions. All types of articles, such as original research, opinions, and reviews are welcome.

Prof. Dr. Hongju He
Prof. Dr. Said A. Saleh
Prof. Dr. Chen Xiangning
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agriculture is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • vegetables
  • nutritional quality
  • bioactive substances
  • quality improvement
  • quality regulation
  • postharvest and processing
  • quality analysis
  • metabolism and biotechnology
  • health functions

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 1234 KiB  
Article
Effect of Nutrient Solution Activated with Non-Thermal Plasma on Growth and Quality of Baby Leaf Lettuce Grown Indoor in Aeroponics
by Martina Puccinelli, Giulia Carmassi, Damiano Lanza, Rita Maggini, Paolo Vernieri and Luca Incrocci
Agriculture 2025, 15(4), 405; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15040405 - 14 Feb 2025
Viewed by 568
Abstract
Innovation in cultivation methods is essential to address the growing challenges in agriculture, including abiotic and biotic stress, soil degradation, and climate change. Aeroponics, a particular type of hydroponics, presents a promising solution by improving yield and resource use efficiency, especially in controlled [...] Read more.
Innovation in cultivation methods is essential to address the growing challenges in agriculture, including abiotic and biotic stress, soil degradation, and climate change. Aeroponics, a particular type of hydroponics, presents a promising solution by improving yield and resource use efficiency, especially in controlled environments such as plant factories with artificial lighting (PFALs). Additionally, non-thermal plasma (NTP), a partially ionized gas containing reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, can affect plant development and physiology, further enhancing crop production. The objective of this study was to explore the potential of NTP as an innovative method to enhance crop production by treating the nutrient solution in aeroponic systems. During this study, three experiments were conducted to assess the effects of NTP-treated nutrient solutions on baby leaf lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) aeroponically grown indoors. The nutrient solution was treated with ionized air in a treatment column separated from the aeroponic system by making the ionized air bubble from the bottom of the column. After 2 min of NTP application, a pump took the nutrient solution from the treatment column and sprayed it on the roots of plants. Various frequencies of NTP application were tested, ranging from 2.5% to 50% of irrigation events with nutrient solution activated with NTP. Results indicated that low-frequency NTP treatments (up to 5% of irrigations) stimulated plant growth, increasing leaf biomass (+18–19%) and enhancing the concentration of flavonoids (+16–18%), phenols (+20–21%), and antioxidant capacity (+29–53%). However, higher NTP frequencies (25% and above) negatively impacted plant growth, reducing fresh and dry weight and root biomass, likely due to excessive oxidative stress. The study demonstrates the potential of NTP as a tool for improving crop quality and yields in aeroponic cultivation, with optimal benefits achieved at lower treatment frequencies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutritional Quality and Health of Vegetables)
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15 pages, 1651 KiB  
Article
Proteomic Analysis Unveils the Protective Mechanism of Active Modified Atmosphere Packaging Against Senescence Decay and Respiration in Postharvest Loose-Leaf Lettuce
by Lili Weng, Jiyuan Han, Runyan Wu, Wei Liu, Jing Zhou, Xiangning Chen and Huijuan Zhang
Agriculture 2024, 14(12), 2156; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14122156 - 27 Nov 2024
Viewed by 908
Abstract
In this study, physicochemical and proteomic analyses were performed to investigate the effect of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) on the quality of postharvest loose-leaf lettuce. The results showed that MAP enhanced the sensory characteristics of loose-leaf lettuce and delayed the incidence of postharvest [...] Read more.
In this study, physicochemical and proteomic analyses were performed to investigate the effect of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) on the quality of postharvest loose-leaf lettuce. The results showed that MAP enhanced the sensory characteristics of loose-leaf lettuce and delayed the incidence of postharvest deterioration by suppressing weight loss, electrolyte leakage, and reactive oxygen species levels. MAP-inhibited storage-induced programmed cell death may be attributed to a lower expression of protein disulfide isomerase and a higher expression of oligonucleotide/oligosaccharide binding fold nucleic acid binding site protein and reducing glutamine synthase levels. Also, we explore the potential of MAP to protect against oxidative damage in loose-leaf lettuce by potentially modulating the expression levels of NAC family proteins, which may enhance signaling and the expression of cytochrome c oxidase and membrane-bound pyrophosphate in the oxidative phosphorylation pathway. In addition, MAP potentially delayed postharvest senescence and extended the shelf life of lettuce by regulating key protein metabolic pathways that may reduce respiration rates. These include the NAC family of proteins, enzymes in the oxidative phosphorylation pathway, glutamine synthetize, and other crucial metabolic routes. These findings provide a scientific basis for enhancing the postharvest preservation of leafy vegetables, such as loose-leaf lettuce, through MAP technology. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutritional Quality and Health of Vegetables)
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14 pages, 597 KiB  
Article
Enhancing Nutritional Value of Rhubarb (Rheum rhaponticum L.) Products: The Role of Fruit and Vegetable Pomace
by Anna Korus and Jarosław Korus
Agriculture 2024, 14(10), 1784; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14101784 - 11 Oct 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1114
Abstract
In this study, the quality and health-promoting components in rhubarb products sweetened with isomaltulose and enriched with fruit (apple, chokeberry, black currant) and vegetable (beetroot, carrot) pomace were assessed. All products with added pomace had higher levels of ash (27–65%) and macro- and [...] Read more.
In this study, the quality and health-promoting components in rhubarb products sweetened with isomaltulose and enriched with fruit (apple, chokeberry, black currant) and vegetable (beetroot, carrot) pomace were assessed. All products with added pomace had higher levels of ash (27–65%) and macro- and microelements (5–436% and 5–333%) compared to the sample without pomace. The addition of pomace also increased the total antioxidant activity. The addition of pomace increased the value of gel strength (Fe) by 22–73% compared to the control; the highest value was found in the product enriched with chokeberry pomace (1.71 N). Red (a* > 0) and yellow (b* > 0) dominated all products, and values of the L* parameter ranged from 7.81 to 37.54. The brightest were the products with added carrot, apple, and beet pomace, while the darkest were those containing chokeberry and blackcurrant pomace. The values of the texture parameters decreased after storage, but to a lesser extent in the products with pomace; however, the products with pomace maintained greater antioxidant activity and retained beneficial components better than those without. A slight darkening of the products and a decrease in the proportion of red (a*) and yellow (b*) color was also observed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutritional Quality and Health of Vegetables)
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17 pages, 828 KiB  
Article
Nutritional and Functional Properties of Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) Chimborazo Ecotype: Insights into Chemical Composition
by Paola Arguello-Hernández, Iván Samaniego, Alex Leguizamo, María Josefa Bernalte-García and María Concepción Ayuso-Yuste
Agriculture 2024, 14(3), 396; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14030396 - 1 Mar 2024
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2882
Abstract
Quinoa is known for its high nutritional value and adaptability; however, there is a lack of data about the chemical composition of quinoa produced in Ecuador, especially the Chimborazo ecotype. Our research aims to evaluate the nutritional components of Chimborazo quinoa. This knowledge [...] Read more.
Quinoa is known for its high nutritional value and adaptability; however, there is a lack of data about the chemical composition of quinoa produced in Ecuador, especially the Chimborazo ecotype. Our research aims to evaluate the nutritional components of Chimborazo quinoa. This knowledge (chemical composition) can help to improve cultivation and farmers’ understanding. Samples were collected from 49 plots at four altitude ranges (3000–3200; 3201–3300; 3301–3400; 3401–3533) m.a.s.l. Each sample of 2 kg quinoa was cleaned, dried (32 °C/15 h), and stored at −20 °C before analyzing water activity, proximate composition, mineral content, antioxidant activity, and functional compounds. The data were analyzed using ANOVA and mean comparison, Pearson correlation, and principal component analysis. The Chimborazo ecotype shows protein content comparable to or exceeding other global quinoa cultivars. Statistical analysis revealed that altitude had a minimal influence on quinoa’s chemical composition, resulting in overlapping altitude-based clusters. Complex relationships between quinoa variables were identified, which varied with altitude. These findings suggest that cultivation of high-quality quinoa across a range of altitudes is feasible without compromising its intrinsic quality. Moreover, the extensive and diverse results from our study provide a solid foundation for further plant breeding and the development of specialized quinoa varieties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutritional Quality and Health of Vegetables)
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