COMPARATIVE STORAGE STABILITY OF BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS IN POWDERS FROM DIFFERENT BROCCOLI HYBRIDS

Abstract

Broccoli powder is a promising functional ingredient due to its high content of biologically active compounds; however, the preservation of these compounds during prolonged storage may depend on the hybrid used as raw material. This study compared the retention of major bioactive compounds in powders produced from seven broccoli hybrids during 12 months of storage. Agassi F1, Ironman F1, Atlantis F1, Heraklion F1, Naxos F1, Marathon F1, and Tiburon F1 were dried at 55°C using infrared radiation combined with an air velocity of 1.5 m/s. Ascorbic acid, total phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and antioxidant activity were evaluated at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months of storage. A gradual decline in all investigated bioactive parameters was observed, although the rate of degradation differed among hybrids. After 12 months, Naxos F1 showed the highest retention of ascorbic acid (83.2%), total phenolics (88.7%), flavonoids (87.9%), and antioxidant activity (89.0%). Agassi F1 ranked second, retaining 82.1, 88.0, 87.1, and 88.3%, respectively. The findings demonstrate that hybrid characteristics significantly influence the long-term preservation of bioactive compounds in broccoli powder and identify Naxos F1 and Agassi F1 as promising raw materials for producing bioactive-rich powdered ingredients with improved storage stability.