Eating your broccoli is serious business, especially if you're a UK researcher discovering the best way to keep the nutrients in this green vegetable fresh for as long as possible.
"If we depend on getting our antioxidant - cancer fighting - nutrients from fruits and vegetables, we need to ensure preservation of the nutritional quality from time of harvest to the time the consumer is able to get the product," said Margaret Barth, an assistant professor in nutrition and food science.
Barth has unveiled her research revealing new ways to package broccoli to keep all it fresh and crispy longer. The plant holds some valuable nutrients, such as beta-carotene, which prevents some forms of cancer.
After five years of research, Barth has concluded that the best way to store broccoli is to wrap it in a certain perforated plastic bag.
The process is called modified atmosphere packaging, and Barth said the plastic's specially-designed films keep vegetables at the best quality possible until they are unwrapped.
"You can see what a dramatic difference is made," Barth said. "Because these vegetables are cut, more surface area is available for moisture loss causing more nutrient and quality loss if not packaged properly."
Barth said the "very sophisticated packaging material" now is in high demand by growers, especially in California. She said the Produce Marketing Association estimated that fresh-cut products made up 60 percent of all products sold in the United States last year. That number is expected to double shortly, she said.
The research on broccoli packaging will be extended and expanded to include other fresh-cut vegetables that need the same kind of nutrient protection, Barth said.
"We're interested in making products more convenient for the customer," Barth said.
The high demand for vegetable products in the United States contributes to some intensive research across the country in the field of preserving vegetables' nutrients, Barth said.
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