CONICET | Buscador de Institutos y Recursos Humanos

The rocket and other cruciferous are important crop because it contains phytonutrients that promote health, as well as potassium and sulfur. Furthermore, epidemiological studies have shown it?s beneficial to health as anticarcinogenic, antioxidant and cardiovascular disease preventive properties. These properties have been associated, at least partly, the content of bioactive compounds such as phenolic compounds, isothiocyanates, vitamins (C, folic acid, etc.), chlorophylls, carotenoids, antioxidant enzymes, etc. Among them, polyphenolic compounds, which also contributes flavor and aroma of these vegetables. Biactive compounds, antioxidant capacity, and the impact on these of the UV-C radiation and ozone in minimally processed rocket were evaluated in this work. Rocket leaves, were previously washed, cut (2 cm) and submitted to the action of radiation UV-C (1 - 30 kJ m2) and gaseous ozone (0,5 - 10 ppm), later they were covered with polypropylene of 35 m and stored to 5 °C. Periodically the evolution of ascorbic acid (AA), dehydroascorbic acid, carotenoids, total phenols and antioxidant capacity (AOX) by DPPH and FRAP were evaluated. It was determined that the treatments applied did not change the initial content of carotenoids (24.4 mg 100 g-1 of fresh tissue) and phenols (chlorogenic acid 2.2 mEq g-1 fresh tissue), remaining without significant changes during storage. While AA (initially 35-50 mg 100 g-1) decreased by approximately 50 % after eight days in treated and untreated samples, no significant differences between treatments. These applied technologies could be considered as an excellent alternative for the processing of the rocket, since in addition to exercising sanitizer desired effect, allowed to maintain identical levels of beneficial compounds for health and AOX (2.2 and 1.8 mEq g Trolox-1 fresh tissue, according to the method) in the treated samples compared to controls.

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