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Sprout is a popular homemade salad, but frequently contaminated with pathogens, which requires efficient disinfection measure. The present work demonstrated an effective method to control microorganisms on seeds before sprout production using electrochemical activated solution (EAS). The seeds were treated with EAS containing different concentrations of chlorine to assess the efficacy of disinfection, germination, and sprout growth. The long-term effect of the treatment with EAS was studied on seeds stored for 4, 8, or 12 w at 8 or 28°C. The results showed that EAS treatment reduced coliform and Erwinia carotovora without affecting seed germination or sprout growth. High sterilisation efficacy was achieved at higher available chlorine concentration (ACC) and/or longer treatment. The highest disinfection effect was observed at the ACC of 29.0 ppm and treatment at 15 min. Sterilisation was maintained for 12 w at 8°C or 4 – 8 w at 28°C when the seeds were treated with EAS having 29.0 ppm ACC in 15 min. The present work provided an effective way to control bacteria on seeds, and prevent the transmission of pathogens from seeds to later sprout products, thus improving their safety and hygiene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Germination can be used to enhance nutritional value and health functions of edible seeds. Sprouts are considered healthier than raw seeds because they are richer in the basic nutritional components (carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, and minerals) and also contain more bioactive components responsible for various biological activities. The effect of sprouting on the antioxidant, antidiabetic, antiobesity activities, and metabolite profiles of alfalfa and buckwheat seeds was investigated in this study. DPPH radical scavenging activity was highest in buckwheat sprouts followed by alfalfa sprout, buckwheat seed, and alfalfa seed, respectively. ABTS radical scavenging potential showed a similar trend as DPPH with buckwheat sprouts exerting the best scavenging capacity. Alfalfa sprout and buckwheat seed exhibited the highest percentage inhibitory activity of α-glucosidase (96.6 and 96.5%, respectively). Alfalfa sprouts demonstrated the strongest inhibitory activity against pancreatic lipase (57.12%) while alfalfa seed showed the highest advanced glycation end products (AGEs) formation inhibitory potential (28.7%). Moreover, thirty-three (33) metabolites were characterized in the seed and sprout samples. Sprouts demonstrated a higher level of metabolites compared to raw seeds. Hence, depending on the type of seed and the target activity, sprouting is a good technique to alter the secondary metabolites and functional properties of edible seeds.

Seed sprouts are susceptible to microbial contamination; therefore, use of an effective sanitization treatment on these products is of great importance. This study investigated the effects of ultrasonication, heating and chemical washing on sanitization of nine crop seeds and the microbial safety of sprouts produced from decontaminated seeds. The result showed that most of seed sanitization treatments increased germination (except dry heating), decreased microbial loads on treated seeds and subsequently produced sprouts, and increased sprouts yield. However, only ultrasonication seed treatment reduced both the total aerobic counts and total coliforms counts to < 3 log 10 CFU g-1 level on produced alfalfa, mung bean pea and radish sprouts. The sprouts produced from ultrasonication-treated alfalfa, mung bean pea and radish seeds also out yielded their respective non-treated sprounts by 88, 25, 73 and 56%. Therefore, ultrasonication can be used as a seed sanitization treatment for producing alfalfa, mung bean, pea and radish sprouts.

Only a handful of non-human animals are known to grow their own food by cultivating high-yield fungal or algal crops as staple food. Here we report an alternative strategy utilized by an omnivorous marine worm, Hediste diversicolor, to supplement its diet: gardening by sprouting seeds. In addition to having many other known feeding modes, we showed using video recordings and manipulative mesocosm experiments that this species can also behave like gardeners by deliberately burying cordgrass seeds in their burrows, which has been previously shown to reduce the loss of seeds to water. These seeds, however, are protected by the seed husk, and we used feeding experiments to show that they were not edible for H. diversicolor until they had sprouted or the seed husk had been artificially removed. Additionally, sprouts were shown to be highly nutritious, permitting higher growth rates in H. diversicolor than the low-quality basal food, detritus. We propose both a proximate cause (seed husk as a physical barrier) and ultimate cause (nutritional demand) for this peculiar feeding behavior. Our findings suggest that sprouting may be a common strategy used by seed-collecting animals to exploit nutrients from well-protected seeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glucosinolate (GSL) profiles and concentrations in various tissues (seeds, sprouts, mature root, and shoot) were determined and compared across nine Brassica species, including cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, radish, baemuchae, pakchoi, Chinese cabbage, leaf mustard, and kale. The compositions and concentrations of individual GSLs varied among crops, tissues, and growth stages. Seeds had highest total GSL concentrations in most of crops, whereas shoots had the lowest GSL concentrations. Aliphatic GSL concentrations were the highest in seeds, followed by that in sprouts, shoots, and roots. Indole GSL concentration was the highest in the root or shoot tissues in most of the crops. In contrast, aromatic GSL concentrations were highest in roots. Of the nine crops examined, broccoli exhibited the highest total GSL concentration in seeds (110.76 μmol·g-1) and sprouts (162.19 μmol·g-1), whereas leaf mustard exhibited the highest total GSL concentration in shoots (61.76 μmol·g-1) and roots (73.61 μmol·g-1). The lowest GSL concentrations were observed in radish across all tissues examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effects of ultrasonication, heating and chemical washing on decontamination of seeds of three pea ( Pisum sativum) varieties and the microbial safety of their sprouts. Most of the decontamination treatments increased germination, decreased microbial load and enhanced sprout growth. Ultrasonication and NaOCl treatments reduced total aerobic counts on sprouts by 5.86 and 5.51 log units (averages of three varieties), respectively; while other chemical treatments (350 mL L−1 ethanol, 350 mL L−1 vinegar and 10 g L−1 NaCl solutions) failed to reduce total aerobic counts sufficiently enough to secure microbial safety. The ultrasonication not only improved germination (increased from an average of 83 to 97%), but also reduced the total aerobic counts to 2.21 log10 CFU g−1 on seed sprouts. Ultrasonication also increased the sprouts yield to 301.83 g per 10 g seeds. Therefore, ultrasonication can be used as a microbial control treatment for pea sprout production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sprout consumption has become more popular due to a new variety of sprouts being introduced to the market. However, sprout seeds are a major source of sprout contamination and have been linked to most sprout-associated foodborne outbreaks. This study investigated Salmonella reduction in sunflower and roselle seeds using various sanitizing agents including water, water at 55 °C, sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), diluted vinegar, acidic electrolyzed water (ACEW), and alkaline electrolyzed water (ALEW). Diluted vinegar containing 1.25% (v/v) acetic acid was the most effective treatment to inactivate Salmonella in sunflower seeds, resulting in a 3.82 log reduction after 15-min treatment. High concentrations of NaOCl (available chlorine concentration (ACC) 1692 mg/L) and ACEW (pH 2.76, oxidation-reduction potential 1093 mV, ACC 48 mg/L) had significantly lower antimicrobial activity with 3.20 and 2.39 log reduction, respectively, after 15-min treatment. Disinfecting roselle seeds for 15 min with water at 55 °C and diluted vinegar had comparable efficacy to reduce Salmonella by 2.54 and 2.48 log, respectively. There were no significant changes in Salmonella reduction among the high and low concentrations of NaOCl containing ACC 79 and 1692 mg/L, respectively, and ACEW in roselle seeds during 5–15 min of exposure time. All tested treatment solutions had no negative impact on the percentage of seed germination with over 96% and 92.56–95.89% for sunflower and roselle seeds, respectively. Conversely, the fresh weight and length of sunflower and roselle sprouts were influenced significantly by the types of sanitizing agents used for decontaminating the seeds. Collectively, our findings may contribute to the development of effective seed sanitization measure for sunflower and roselle seeds to reduce the risk of Salmonella -associated outbreaks linked to sprout consumption. • Diluted vinegar washing reduced Salmonella in sunflower seeds by 3.82 log CFU/g. • 55 °C water and diluted vinegar were most effective for sanitizing roselle seeds. • Seed sanitization had no negative impact on seed germination rate. • The weight and length of sprouts were affected by sanitizing agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] 10 cDNAs involved in carotenoid biosynthetic pathway were characterised. [•] An inverse correlation between CCD expression and carotenoid content was found. [•] Carotenoid biosynthesis in the sprouts was upregulated in light condition. [•] The light-grown sprouts contained very abundant amounts of lutein and β-carotene. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Chickpea is known as a plant that is rich in protein, carbohydrates, and nutrition, and its seeds and sprouts have been processed into various health foods. In the present study, four isoflavones were purified from the seeds and sprouts of chickpea by high-speed countercurrent chromatography (HSCCC) using two biphasic solvent systems composed of n-hexane-ethyl acetate-methanol-water (5:5:5:5, v/v) and ethyl acetate-water (1:1, v/v). The results indicated that 14.2 mg of formononetin, 15.7 mg of biochanin A, 9.1 mg of ononin, 11.3 mg of biochanin A-7-O-β-D-glucoside were obtained from 150 mg of sprout extracts with the purity of 92.26%, 95.86%, 95.32%, and 96.56%, respectively. Compared with the sprouts, separation of seed extracts yielded less amounts of biochanin A-7-O-β-D-glucoside and biochanin A with lower purity. The results indicate that four main isoflavones in chickpea, i.e., isoflavones, formononetin, biochanin A, ononin, and biochanin A-7-O-β-D-glucoside, are substantially increased by biosynthesis during the seed germination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Total antioxidant capacity, total phenolic contents (TP) and anthocyanins contents (ANT) were determined in Amaranthus cruentus and Chenopodium quinoa seeds and sprouts. Antioxidant activity of the investigated seeds decreased in the following order: quinoa, amaranth v. Rawa, amaranth v. Aztek for FRAP and quinoa, amaranth v. Aztek, amaranth v. Rawa for both ABTS and DPPH. Sprouts activity depended on the length of their growth, and the peak values were reached on the fourth day in the case of amaranth and on the sixth day in the case of quinoa. The data obtained by the three methods showed significant correlation between TP content in seeds and sprouts. In sprouts grown in the daylight and in the darkness we observed some significant changes of TP, ANT and antioxidant activity. Amaranth and quinoa seeds and sprouts can be used in food, because it is a good source of ANT and TP with high antioxidant activity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Fatty acid composition and C18:2:C18:3 of soybean seed and sprout is important for soy-industries to manufacture quality products. Six soybean varieties were analyzed by gas chromatography to determine fatty acid composition and linoleic to linolenic acid ratio (C18:2:C18:3) in seed, sprout, and their structural parts. In the case of whole seed and its structural parts, significant variation in fatty acid composition and C18:2:C18:3 were observed between varieties except palmitic acid (C16:0), while all the parameters were significantly different for seed parts. Significant interactions of variety with seed parts were observed for oleic acid (C18:1), C18:2 and C18:2:C18:3. The highest saturated fatty acid, C18:1 and polyunsaturated fatty acid were recorded in seed coat, cotyledon, and seed axis, respectively. The lowest C18:2:C18:3 was found in seed axis. In the case of sprout study, variety had significant effect on all the parameters observed for whole sprout, cotyledon, root, and except C18:3 for hypocotyl. Culture days had significant effect on C16:0, C18:2 and C18:3 in whole sprouts, while only on C18:3 and C18:2:C18:3 in cotyledon. For hypocotyl, culture days had significant effect on C18:1, C18:2 and C18:2:C18:3, however, C16:0, C18:1, C18:3, and C18:2:C18:3 were significantly different in root. In sprout, days and variety interacted significantly for C16:0, C18:3 and C18:2:C18:3, and C18:1, C18:2, C18:3, and C18:2:C18:3, respectively for whole, cotyledon, and root. The significantly lowest C18:2:C18:3 (1.1) was observed in hypocotyl and root of Hwangkeumkong in 5 days. Knowledge of fatty acid composition and C18:2:C18:3 of seed, sprout, and their parts could be applicable for oil and other soy-food industries to make quality products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Microbiome changes during sprout manufacturing were examined. • The microbial composition and its major shift differed by seed type. • Alfalfa sprouts had the highest abundance of Enterobacteriaceae. • Enterobacteriaceae increased dramatically during pre-germination soaking of alfalfa. • Pseudomonadaceae thrived during germination and sprouting of radish and rape seed. Sprouts harbor high levels of bacteria and have been implicated in massive outbreaks of foodborne illnesses. The elucidation of microbial profiles in sprouts is important; however, little is known about the changes in the microbial composition during production. The present study aimed to define the microbial ecology of sprouts during the stages of production using 16S rRNA metagenome sequencing and culture-dependent methods. Samples of three types of sprouts (alfalfa, radish, and rapeseed) were collected from each stage of production (seed, soaking, germination 1 (Germ 1), germination 2 (Germ 2), sprouting, unwashed, and washed sprouts; n = 105) and subjected to microbiome analyses as well as quantitative and qualitative analyses. Aerobic plate count (APC) and coliforms levels significantly increased within one day (Germ 1) by 3.9–4.4 and 4.2–5.2 log CFU/g, respectively, and levels up to 8.0–9.0 and 6.9–9.0 log CFU/g, respectively, were recorded at the final stage. During production, the microbial communities in alfalfa sprouts simplified into Enterobacteriaceae (80.97–99.29%), whereas the radish and rapeseed sprouts were dominated by microbial communities belonging to two families, the Enterobacteriaceae (radish: 32–43.4%, rapeseed: 24.11–38.39%) and Pseudomonadaceae (radish: 30.53–46.45%, rapeseed: 41.51–57.34%). This suggests that the sprout manufacturing conditions could promote the growth of particular bacterium. Alpha diversity analysis revealed a diverse bacterial community structure in the seeds; however, the diversity sharply declined until Germ 1 and recovered during the production steps thereafter. Beta diversity results suggested that the pattern of microbial composition, and the major shifts in composition, differed by seed type. Significant changes in the bacterial community were observed during the soaking (alfalfa), Germ 1 (radish), and Germ 2 (rapeseed) stages. The present study is the first fundamental report to investigate microbial changes by during the various stages of the sprouting process. The results highlight the potential risk of sprouts regarding foodborne illness and facilitate the determination of effective intervention points during sprout production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Germination can be used to enhance nutritional value and health functions of edible seeds. Sprouts are considered healthier than raw seeds because they are richer in the basic nutritional components (carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, and minerals) and also contain more bioactive components responsible for various biological activities. The effect of sprouting on the antioxidant, antidiabetic, antiobesity activities, and metabolite profiles of alfalfa and buckwheat seeds was investigated in this study. DPPH radical scavenging activity was highest in buckwheat sprouts followed by alfalfa sprout, buckwheat seed, and alfalfa seed, respectively. ABTS radical scavenging potential showed a similar trend as DPPH with buckwheat sprouts exerting the best scavenging capacity. Alfalfa sprout and buckwheat seed exhibited the highest percentage inhibitory activity of α-glucosidase (96.6 and 96.5%, respectively). Alfalfa sprouts demonstrated the strongest inhibitory activity against pancreatic lipase (57.12%) while alfalfa seed showed the highest advanced glycation end products (AGEs) formation inhibitory potential (28.7%). Moreover, thirty-three (33) metabolites were characterized in the seed and sprout samples. Sprouts demonstrated a higher level of metabolites compared to raw seeds. Hence, depending on the type of seed and the target activity, sprouting is a good technique to alter the secondary metabolites and functional properties of edible seeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]