Quality Evaluation of Wild and Cultivated Asparagus: A Comparison between Raw and Steamed Spears

Abstract

Asparagus is highly appreciated for its organoleptic and nutritional characteristics and wild genotypes are valuable components of traditional dishes. In this study, the physical and chemical traits of wild (green and violet) and cultivated asparagus (‘Grande’, ‘Purple Passion’, and ‘Bianco di Bassano del Grappa’), both raw and steamed, were evaluated. Steaming did not affect the total phenols content with the exception of wild green (+49%) and ‘Grande’ (−31%). Only for wild violet asparagus steaming increased the total antioxidant activity (+46%). Chlorogenic acid and chicoric acid were found only in wild asparagus, while rutin was generally higher in colored cultivated asparagus than wild ones. The highest content of isorhamnetin-3-rutinoside was found in wild violet asparagus while only traces of this compound were detected in the cultivated ones. Steaming influenced the content of both chlorophylls and carotenoids in asparagus, also resulting in changes in the color parameters in cooked spears. Overall, the sugar content in wild asparagus was lower than in the cultivated ones and steaming had a low impact on this chemical trait. Principal component analysis highlighted the most evident separation between wild asparagus and cultivated ones. These results indicate that wild asparagus can be considered a nutritious and refined food, and provide specific information required for cooking process strategies in the agri-food industrial sector.

A comparative study on the quality attributes, phenolic content and antioxidant activity of cultivated and wild asparagus as influenced by seasonal variations

“…Similar results for DM content were reported by Sergio et al . (2021), who also observed higher amounts of DM content in wild asparagus spears than in cultivated ones. Moreover, Palmieri et al .…”

“…This result is in disagreement with Sergio et al . (2021), who compared wild and cultivated asparagus spears (before and after steaming) and demonstrated that higher contents of CHL a and CHL b were present in cultivated asparagus. Seasonal variations had an unstable effect on CHL content, sometimes with significant differences that showed minor fluctuations over the course of the season in both years.…”

“…In contrast to the current research, Sergio et al . (2021) reported that wild asparagus showed lower values of sugars (glucose, fructose and sucrose) than cultivated asparagus. On the other hand, Palmieri et al .…”

“…Sergio et al . (2021) compared the physical and chemical traits of wild (green and violet) and cultivated asparagus (green, violet and white; cultivar names detected) spears before and after steaming. They stated that for their plant material, samples of wild asparagus were collected from sunny and shady areas at one location, while their samples of green and violet cultivated asparagus were collected from another location, but white-cultivated asparagus was obtained from the market.…”

Effects of Drying and Roasting to Effectively use a Discarded Part of Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.)

“…However, it was revealed to be increased by drying but almost unchanged by roasting when the water content of dried and roasted asparagus was converted into that before drying. It has been reported that these sugars are almost unchanged by steam at 99±1℃ (Sergio et al, 2021), that fructose and glucose are destroyed by heat (Maeda et al, 1962) and that sucrose has better heat stability than fructose and glucose (Yoshimatsu & Furukawa, 1974). Therefore, the present results that fructose and glucose were decreased by roasting although sucrose was almost unchanged were supported.…”