TITLE:
The Agronomic Techniques as Determinants of the Phenolic Content and the Biological Antioxidant Effect of Palm-Tree Kale
AUTHORS:
Francesca Danesi, Veronica Valli, Simona Elementi, Luigi Filippo D’Antuono
KEYWORDS:
Kale; Brassica oleracea L.; Cultured Cardiomyocytes; Antioxidants; Phytochemicals; Agronomic Techniques; Plant Density; Nitrogen Fertilization
JOURNAL NAME:
Food and Nutrition Sciences,
Vol.5 No.1,
January
7,
2014
ABSTRACT: The content of phytochemicals in vegetables is strongly affected by
genetic, agronomic, and environmental factors,
and by transportation and storage conditions, potentially affecting the sensory
and putative health-promoting properties. In this
study the impact of different agricultural techniques on the phenolics content
and antioxidant activity of extracts from a traditional Italian kale
landrace, called palm-tree kale (Brassica oleracea L., ssp. acephala DC, var. sabellica L.) was evaluated. Furthermore, the antioxidant
effects of the different extracts were assessed in a biological system using
primary cultures of neonatal rat cardiomyocytes. The final aim was to evidence
whether and how the agronomic practices can affect the antioxidant properties
of kale not only in vitro but also in cells. Results herein reported
underline the influence of the crop production strategies in establishing the
potential health benefits of a vegetable. This research approach could be useful
for the selection of production techniques that are able to provide edible vegetables with higher functional activity, and
evidences the need to study the food domain as a whole with the nutrition
domain, and to integrate all results in order to have an overall “foodomics”
vision allowing the improvement of health and well-being.