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In the present study, the dual effects of slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) treatment on γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and rutin accumulation of germinated buckwheat were evaluated during germination. The results showed that SAEW treatment (pH 5.83, ACC of 20.3 mg/L) could promote the accumulation of GABA and rutin in germinated buckwheat. The GABA and rutin contents of SAEW-germinated buckwheat reached 143.20 and 739.9 mg/100 g respectively, which is significantly higher than those of control (P<0.05). Moreover, SAEW treatment could increase the activity of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) and phenylalanine ammonialyase (PAL) and thus result in the GABA and rutin accumulation of germinated buckwheat. The results suggested that SAEW treatment could promote the rutin accumulation of germinated buckwheat by influencing phenylpropanoid secondary metabolic pathway instead of the inhibition of rutin degrading enzyme (RDE) activity. In addition, SAEW treatment had no adverse impact on the sprouts growth and could reduce the microbial populations of germinated buckwheat during germination., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The accumulation of γ-aminobutyric acid and the microbial decontamination are concerned increasingly in the production of sprouts. In this work, the effect of the treatment by slightly acidic electrolyzed water on the accumulation of γ-aminobutyric acid in the germinated brown millet was evaluated by high performance liquid chromatography during germination. The results showed that slightly acidic electrolyzed water with appropriate available chlorine (15 or 30 mg/L) could promote the accumulation of γ-aminobutyric acid by up to 21% (P < 0.05). However, the treatment with slightly acidic electrolyzed water could not enhance the sprouts growth of the germinated brown millet. The catalase and peroxidase activities of the germinated brown millet during germination were in agreement with the sprouts growth. Our results suggested that the accumulation of γ-aminobutyric acid was independent of the length of sprouts in germinated grains. Moreover, the treatment with slightly acidic electrolyzed water significantly reduced the microbial counts in the germinated millet (P < 0.05) and the treatment with high available chlorine concentration (15 and 30 mg/L) showed stronger anti-infection potential in the germinated brown millet than that of lower available chlorine concentration (5 mg/L). In conclusion, the treatment with slightly acidic electrolyzed water is an available approach to improve the accumulation of γ-aminobutyric acid and anti-infection potential in the germinated brown millet, and it can avoid too long millet sprouts., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Broccoli sprouts have been considered as functional foods which have received increasing attention because they have been highly prized for glucosinolates, phenolics, and vitamins in particular glucosinolates. One of hydrolysates-sulforaphane from glucoraphanin is positively associated with the attenuation of inflammatory, which could reduce diabetes, cardiovascular and cancer risk. In recent decades, the great interest in natural bioactive components especially for sulforaphane promotes numerous researchers to investigate the methods to enhance glucoraphanin levels in broccoli sprouts and evaluate the immunomodulatory activities of sulforaphane. Therefore, glucosinolates profiles are different in broccoli sprouts varied with genotypes and inducers. Physicochemical, biological elicitors, and storage conditions were widely studied to promote the accumulation of glucosinolates and sulforaphane in broccoli sprouts. These inducers would stimulate the biosynthesis pathway gene expression and enzyme activities of glucosinolates and sulforaphane to increase the concentration in broccoli sprouts. The immunomodulatory activity of sulforaphane was summarized to be a new therapy for diseases with immune dysregulation. The perspective of this review served as a potential reference for customers and industries by application of broccoli sprouts as a functional food and clinical medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Electrolyzed water, a green chemistry invention, is a novel disinfectant that has been widely used in the food field. Previous studies have found that slightly acidic electrolyzed water not only has a bactericidal effect but also promotes the accumulation of active substances in many types of sprouts. We developed a new type of electrolyzed water, CaCl2–HCl electrolyzed water (CHEW), which can effectively enhance the formation of glucosinolates and isothiocyanates in broccoli sprouts. The molecular mechanism by which CaCl2–HCl electrolyzed water promotes glucosinolate metabolism in broccoli sprouts during growth was investigated in this study. Results: On the 4th day, the total glucosinolate content in broccoli sprouts reached 195.50 μmol/g DW under CHEW treatment. On the 8th day, compared to treatment with tap water, the contents of three isothiocyanates (sulforaphane, erucin, and 4-isothiocyanato-1-butene) in broccoli sprouts under CHEW treatment were significantly increased by 45.93, 34.04 and 185.15%, respectively. The results of calcium distribution and qRT‒PCR assessments indicated that CHEW treatment activated calcium signalling in broccoli sprouts and promoted the relative expression of glucosinolate biosynthesis-related genes through calcium sensors [calmodulin (CaM), calmodulin-like protein (CML), and calcium-dependent protein kinase (CDPK)] and the calcium-binding nuclear protein IQD1. Conclusion: Our research provides new insights into the molecular mechanism of glucosinolate metabolism and a theoretical basis for cultivating high-quality broccoli sprouts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing recognition of a healthy lifestyle framework has promoted the development of novel functional foods or superfoods with abundant nutrients and health-promoting properties. Therefore, the influence of slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) as an elicitor on broccoli sprouts was investigated. The increase of electrolyte leakage percentage, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances levels and proline concentration indicated that the defense system of broccoli sprouts had responded to stress caused by SAEW. Furthermore, the antioxidant enzymes and secondary metabolites, phenolic compounds, were evaluated and revealed the enhancement of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, peroxidases, catalase, and ascorbate peroxidase) activities and phenolic compounds content in broccoli sprouts with SAEW treatment. The major groups of phenolic composition in broccoli sprouts were phenolic acids and flavonoids. The Folin-Ciocalteu index and antioxidant activity assay also proved the enhancement of antioxidant capacity of broccoli sprouts with SAEW treatment. Results from this study indicated that SAEW treatment could increase the antioxidant ability of broccoli sprouts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Germination increased the nutritional and phytochemical composition of quinoa. • PCA showed significant differences in chemicals among quinoa varieties. • The 5-MTHF content of the LL-1 and QL-2 varieties was highest in 6-day sprouts. • The expression of pterin synthesis genes regulated further accumulation of 5-MTHF. • The 6-day-old sprouts were the most superior quinoa sprouts for functional food. This study determined the content of macronutrients and micronutrients to investigate the nutritional value and health benefits of six varieties of quinoa seeds and sprouts. Germination markedly increased the contents of proteins, reducing sugars, free amino acids, vitamins, and phytochemicals such as phenolic and carotenoid compounds, with variation among different quinoa varieties. Relatively high levels of 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF) were found in 6-day-old quinoa sprouts, especially in the LL-1 variety (1747.25 μg/100 g DW), followed by QL-2 sprouts (1501.67 μg/100 g DW). Furthermore, we examined the relative expression of genes involved in the folate biosynthetic pathway during QL-2 germination. The expression of the ADCS gene was upregulated 28.31-fold in 6-day-old sprouts, greatly facilitating folate synthesis. Pterin synthesis genes regulate the biosynthesis and further accumulation of folate by controlling pterin metabolic flux. Overall, the 6-day-old sprouts were recommended as a functional food with nutritional value and health benefits in dietary supplements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • CHEW promoted glucoraphanin synthesis and generated more bioactive isothiocyanates. • Calcium content in 25CHEW treatment was enhanced from 15.8 to 49.7 mg/g DW. • Provide new insights into regulating glucosinolate metabolism in broccoli sprouts. This study evaluated the effects of CaCl 2 -HCl electrolyzed water (CHEW) with different calcium chloride concentrations on broccoli sprouts. CHEW treatment reduced the malondialdehyde (MDA) and H 2 O 2 contents of broccoli sprouts. The results showed that 10 kinds of glucosinolates were detected, and glucoraphanin was the dominant component. After hydrolysis, three kinds of isothiocyanates and two kinds of nitriles were detected in broccoli sprouts; however, the corresponding nitrile 4-isothiocyanato-1-butene was not detectable. The sulforaphane content of broccoli sprouts in the 10CHEW (Electrolyte of 10 mM CaCl 2 acidic solution) treatment increased by 34.4%, and the content of sulforaphane nitrile decreased by 53.3% compared with that of the tap water treatment. CHEW changed the metabolism of glucosinolates in broccoli sprouts by promoting the synthesis of glucoraphanin, increasing the activity of myrosinase and decreasing the activity of epithiospecifier protein (ESP) for the generation of more bioactive isothiocyanates. In addition, compared to the tap water treatment, the calcium content in broccoli sprouts treated with 25CHEW (Electrolyte of 25 mM CaCl 2 acidic solution) was dramatically enhanced from 15.8 to 49.7 mg/g DW. CHEW can be a useful tool for enhancing the amount of secondary metabolites and calcium content in broccoli sprouts intended for fresh consumption as a functional food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]