ASCORBIC ACID CONTENT OF MINIMALLY PROCESSED CHINESE CABBAGE

Chinese cabbage (Brassica campestris L. pekinensis group) can be manufactured into a good quality minimally processed product; however, little is known of the fate of Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) in a sliced, washed and cooled (4°C) Chinese cabbage product and its distribution in different portions of the Chinese cabbage head.

Minimally processed Chinese cabbage lost 13% of Vitamin C by the end of storage life at 4°C.

This is not of major nutritional concern, as the product would be consumed well before the end of storage life.
Leaching of Vitamin C during processing was not significant.
The Vitamin C content was highest in the more coloured outer (27 mg/100g) and inner leaves (22mg/100g), containing either chloroplasts or protochloroplasts.
The middle leaves, the bulk of leaves present in Chinese cabbage, and the core contained 14–17mg/100g Vitamin C. During minimal processing the outer leaves and the core together with the inner leaves may be trimmed and this will clearly have the most significant effect of lowering the average Vitamin C content of the minimally processed product.

XXV International Horticultural Congress, Part 8: Quality of Horticultural Products

A. Klieber, B. Franklin

Chinese cabbage, ascorbic acid, ascorbate, Vitamin C, minimal processing, storage, Brassica campestris L. pekinensis group

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2000.518.27