VITAMIN C CONTENT OF VEGETABLES. XII. BROCCOLI, CAULIFLOWER, ENDIVE, CANTALOUP, PARSNIPS, NEW ZEALAND SPINACH, KOHLRABI, LETTUCE, AND KALE¹

Abstract

A search of the literature reveals little information concerning the vitamin C content of freshly harvested broccoli, Cauliflower, endive, cantaloup, parsnips, lettuce, and kale. Still fewer data have been published on the rate of loss of the vitamin from these vegetables under various storage conditions and on the influence of variety and maturity on the vitamin C content. MeHenry and Graham (1935) and Roe (1936) have reported on the vitamin C content of broccoli. Their results were in close agreement, .68 and .68 t o .71 mg. per gm., respectively. More recently, Feener, Palmer, and Fitzgerald (7 937) made a survey, throughout one year, of broccoli as it arrived in Boston for the market. They also studied the change in ascorbic acid content after storage for 24 and 48 hours at temperatures just above freezing-1 to 3"C.(33.8 to 37.4"F.)-and at average room temperatures-21 to 22°C. (69.8 to 71.6"F.). The values obtained were about twice as high as those of the investigators mentioned above.The ascorbic acid content of fresh raw cauliflower has been studied by several workers. I n India, Ahmad (1935) found only .058 mg. per gm., but Ranganathan (1935) reported over ten times as much. Roe's (1936) results by the indophenol method and by his own furfural method checked very closely (.44 and .45 mg. per gm., respectively), but this value was more than twice that given by McHenry and Graham (1935) for the reduced form of ascorbic acid. Chi and Read (1935) found a vitamin C content for cauliflower of .42 mg. per gm. Somewhat higher values were reported by Fernandez and Alfageme (1936) (.77 mg. per gm.), Zarinn and Putnina (1937) (1.15 mg. per gm.), and Lunde (1938) (.6 mg. per gm.).

EFFECT OF REFRIGERATION ON RETENTION OF ASCORBIC ACID IN VEGETABLES1

“…of tissue. These values are within the range of values reported by Roe (1936) ;Feener, Palmer, andFitzgerald (1937) : andWheeler, Tressler, andKing (1939). The flowers, however, lost ascorbic acid rapidly at room temperature.…”

Classification and Screening of Baby-leaf Vegetables on the Basis of Their Yield, External Appearance and Internal Quality

“…The ascorbic acid concentrations in most of the Brassicaceae crops, except for RKM, were higher than those in the other tested families (Table 3). The results obtained in the present study were in agreement with the data of Szeto et al (2002) and Wheeler et al (1939). The rapidly growing Brassicaceae crops had higher ascorbic acid concentrations in 2011 than in 2010, although there were few differences between the years in the slowly growing Asteraceae crops.…”

Leveraging the potential of wild food for healthy, sustainable, and equitable local food systems: learning from a transformation lab in the Western Cape region

“…For example, extensive research has been conducted to assess the nutritional content of a close relative of dune spinach, New Zealand spinach (Tetragonia tetragonoides (Pall.) Kuntze), which was found to have good nutritional value, essential amino acids, vitamin C, various minerals, and high antioxidant activity (Wheeler et al 1939;Jaworska and Kmiecik 1999;Słupski et al 2010;Neubauerová et al 2011). This is a strong indication that many similar coastal wild foods are likely also to exhibit good nutritional content.…”