β-Ionone Treatment Enhances the Antioxidant Capacity in Postharvest Broccoli (<i>Brassica oleracea</i> L. var. <i>Italica</i>) by Maintaining the Levels of Bioactive Substances

Broccoli is prone to nutrient loss during postharvest storage due to its high respiratory metabolism. In this study, we investigated the effects of 0.1 mm β-ionone on bioactive substances and antioxidant capacity during postharvest storage of broccoli. We found that the decline in the scavenging rat...

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Main Authors: Feng Zhang, Mengze Cao, Letong Shen, Liyu Shi, Wei Chen, Zhenfeng Yang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-02-01
Series:Foods
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/5/762
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author Feng Zhang
Mengze Cao
Letong Shen
Liyu Shi
Wei Chen
Zhenfeng Yang
author_facet Feng Zhang
Mengze Cao
Letong Shen
Liyu Shi
Wei Chen
Zhenfeng Yang
author_sort Feng Zhang
collection DOAJ
description Broccoli is prone to nutrient loss during postharvest storage due to its high respiratory metabolism. In this study, we investigated the effects of 0.1 mm β-ionone on bioactive substances and antioxidant capacity during postharvest storage of broccoli. We found that the decline in the scavenging rates of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2′-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonate) radicals was delayed in the treated florets. This delay is attributed to β-ionone treatment, which upregulated the expression of biosynthetic genes related to glucosinolates and riboflavin in broccoli, thereby slowing the loss of these nutrients. Additionally, β-ionone treatment increased the transcript levels of anabolic genes while reducing the expression of genes encoding enzymes involved in the catabolism of ascorbic acid (AsA) and glutathione (GSH), resulting in higher levels of AsA and GSH in treated broccoli compared to the control. Overall, β-ionone treatment enhanced antioxidant capacity by delaying the loss of bioactive substances in postharvest broccoli. These findings provide the first evidence that exogenous β-ionone helps preserve antioxidant capacity in postharvest horticultural products.
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spelling doaj-art-e767a5be53ec4f88a7b3981aa22892cb2025-08-20T02:52:38ZengMDPI AGFoods2304-81582025-02-0114576210.3390/foods14050762β-Ionone Treatment Enhances the Antioxidant Capacity in Postharvest Broccoli (<i>Brassica oleracea</i> L. var. <i>Italica</i>) by Maintaining the Levels of Bioactive SubstancesFeng Zhang0Mengze Cao1Letong Shen2Liyu Shi3Wei Chen4Zhenfeng Yang5College of Food Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, ChinaSeymour College, Glen Osmond, SA 5064, AustraliaZhejiang Key Laboratory of Intelligent Food Logistic and Processing, College of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Wanli University, Ningbo 315100, ChinaZhejiang Key Laboratory of Intelligent Food Logistic and Processing, College of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Wanli University, Ningbo 315100, ChinaZhejiang Key Laboratory of Intelligent Food Logistic and Processing, Hwamei College of Life and Health Sciences, Zhejiang Wanli University, Ningbo 315100, ChinaZhejiang Key Laboratory of Intelligent Food Logistic and Processing, Hwamei College of Life and Health Sciences, Zhejiang Wanli University, Ningbo 315100, ChinaBroccoli is prone to nutrient loss during postharvest storage due to its high respiratory metabolism. In this study, we investigated the effects of 0.1 mm β-ionone on bioactive substances and antioxidant capacity during postharvest storage of broccoli. We found that the decline in the scavenging rates of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2′-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonate) radicals was delayed in the treated florets. This delay is attributed to β-ionone treatment, which upregulated the expression of biosynthetic genes related to glucosinolates and riboflavin in broccoli, thereby slowing the loss of these nutrients. Additionally, β-ionone treatment increased the transcript levels of anabolic genes while reducing the expression of genes encoding enzymes involved in the catabolism of ascorbic acid (AsA) and glutathione (GSH), resulting in higher levels of AsA and GSH in treated broccoli compared to the control. Overall, β-ionone treatment enhanced antioxidant capacity by delaying the loss of bioactive substances in postharvest broccoli. These findings provide the first evidence that exogenous β-ionone helps preserve antioxidant capacity in postharvest horticultural products.https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/5/762?-iononebroccolibioactive substancesantioxidant capacity
spellingShingle Feng Zhang
Mengze Cao
Letong Shen
Liyu Shi
Wei Chen
Zhenfeng Yang
β-Ionone Treatment Enhances the Antioxidant Capacity in Postharvest Broccoli (<i>Brassica oleracea</i> L. var. <i>Italica</i>) by Maintaining the Levels of Bioactive Substances
Foods
?-ionone
broccoli
bioactive substances
antioxidant capacity
title β-Ionone Treatment Enhances the Antioxidant Capacity in Postharvest Broccoli (<i>Brassica oleracea</i> L. var. <i>Italica</i>) by Maintaining the Levels of Bioactive Substances
title_full β-Ionone Treatment Enhances the Antioxidant Capacity in Postharvest Broccoli (<i>Brassica oleracea</i> L. var. <i>Italica</i>) by Maintaining the Levels of Bioactive Substances
title_fullStr β-Ionone Treatment Enhances the Antioxidant Capacity in Postharvest Broccoli (<i>Brassica oleracea</i> L. var. <i>Italica</i>) by Maintaining the Levels of Bioactive Substances
title_full_unstemmed β-Ionone Treatment Enhances the Antioxidant Capacity in Postharvest Broccoli (<i>Brassica oleracea</i> L. var. <i>Italica</i>) by Maintaining the Levels of Bioactive Substances
title_short β-Ionone Treatment Enhances the Antioxidant Capacity in Postharvest Broccoli (<i>Brassica oleracea</i> L. var. <i>Italica</i>) by Maintaining the Levels of Bioactive Substances
title_sort β ionone treatment enhances the antioxidant capacity in postharvest broccoli i brassica oleracea i l var i italica i by maintaining the levels of bioactive substances
topic ?-ionone
broccoli
bioactive substances
antioxidant capacity
url https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/5/762
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