Search Results (2)

Microgreens are gaining prominence as nutrient-dense foods with health-promoting activities while aligning with smart agriculture and functional food trends. They are rich in numerous bioactive compounds like phenolics, ascorbic acid, and carotenoids, which act as antioxidants, while also causing multiple other biological activities. Using advanced statistical methods, this study investigated Brassicaceae microgreens, identifying kale and Sango radish as standout varieties. Both contained 16 amino acids, with potassium and calcium as dominant minerals. Sugar and protein contents ranged from 4.29 to 4.66% and 40.27 to 43.90%, respectively. Kale exhibited higher carotenoid levels, particularly lutein (996.36 mg/100 g) and beta-carotene (574.15 mg/100 g). In comparison, Sango radish excelled in glucose metabolism (α-glucosidase inhibition: 58%) and antioxidant activities (DPPH^•: 7.92 mmol TE/100 g, ABTS^•+: 43.47 mmol TE/100 g). Both showed antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Kale demonstrated stronger anti-inflammatory effects, while Sango radish showed antiproliferative potential. These results, supported by PCA and correlation analysis, underscore the dual role of these microgreens as nutritious and therapeutic food additives, addressing oxidative stress, inflammation, and microbial threats. Full article

Supramolecular solvent-based extraction (SUPRAS) stands out as a promising approach, particularly due to its environmentally friendly and efficient characteristics. This research explores the optimization of SUPRAS extraction for sango radish and kale microgreens, focusing on enhancing the extraction efficiency. The Taguchi experimental design and artificial neural network (ANN) modeling were utilized to systematically optimize extraction parameters (ethanol content, SUPRAS: equilibrium ratio, centrifugation rate, centrifugation time, and solid-liquid ratio). The extraction efficiency was evaluated by measuring the antioxidant activity (DPPH assay) and contents of chlorophylls, carotenoids, phenolics, and anthocyanidins. The obtained results demonstrated variability in phytochemical contents and antioxidant activities across microgreen samples, with the possibility of achieving high extraction yields using the prediction of optimized parameters. The optimal result for sango radish can be achieved at an ethanol content of 35.7%; SUPRAS: equilibrium ratio of 1 v/v, centrifugation rate of 4020 rpm, centrifugation time of 19.84 min, and solid-liquid ratio of 30.2 mg/mL. The following parameters are predicted for maximal extraction efficiency for kale: ethanol content of 35.64%; SUPRAS: equilibrium ratio of 1 v/v; centrifugation rate of 3927 rpm; centrifugation time of 19.83 min; and solid-liquid ratio of 30.4 mg/mL. Additionally, laboratory verification of predicted SUPRAS parameters showed very low divergency degrees for both microgreens (–3.09 to 2.36% for sango radish, and −2.57 to 3.58% for kale). This potential of SUPRAS extraction, coupled with statistical and computational optimization techniques, can enhance the recovery of valuable bioactive compounds from microgreens and contribute to green extraction applications. Full article