Characterization of the Appearance, Health-Promoting Compounds, and Antioxidant Capacity of the Florets of the Loose-Curd Cauliflower

Four loose-curd cauliflower varieties, and one common cauliflower cultivar, were studied to investigate the appearance, antioxidant capacity, and levels of ascorbic acid, chlorophylls, carotenoids and glucosinolates in the florets. The loose-curd cauliflower was typically characterized by a loose curd and long florets with green pedicels and a yellow surface. The levels of total glucosinolates, sinigrin, and neoglucobrassicin were lower in the loose-curd cauliflower varieties than in the common cauliflower. The amount of glucoiberin, major aliphatic glucosinolate, present in loose-curd cauliflower varieties, was 147 to 241 nmol/g dry weight (average: 147 nmol/g dry weight). In contrast, the common cauliflower contained a much higher amount of sinigrin (249 nmol/g dry weight) than glucoiberin (56 nmol/g dry weight). All cauliflower varieties contained minor amounts of progoitrin and neoglucobrassicin. Furthermore, the loose-curd cauliflower varieties exhibited comparably higher levels of ascorbic acid, chlorophylls, and carotenoids, than total phenolics. The ferric reducing antioxidant power values in the loose-curd varieties ranged from 92 +/- 7 to 107 +/- 8 mu mol Fe2+/g dry weight, which were also higher than that in the common cauliflower. The results indicated that the loose-curd cauliflower can provide higher levels of health-promoting compounds than the common cauliflower.