Comparison of Vegetables of Ecological and Commercial Production: Physicochemical and Antioxidant Properties

Zacnicté Olguín-Hernández, Quinatzin Yadira Zafra-Rojas (), Nelly del Socorro Cruz-Cansino, Jose Alberto Ariza-Ortega, Javier Añorve-Morga, Deyanira Ojeda-Ramírez, Reyna Nallely Falfan-Cortes, Jose Arias-Rico and Esther Ramírez-Moreno ()
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Zacnicté Olguín-Hernández: Área Académica de Nutrición, Centro de Investigación Interdisciplinario, Instituto de Ciencias de la Salud, Circuito Actopan-Tilcuautla s/n. Ex-hacienda La Concepción, San Agustín Tlaxiaca 42160, Hidalgo, Mexico
Quinatzin Yadira Zafra-Rojas: Área Académica de Nutrición, Centro de Investigación Interdisciplinario, Instituto de Ciencias de la Salud, Circuito Actopan-Tilcuautla s/n. Ex-hacienda La Concepción, San Agustín Tlaxiaca 42160, Hidalgo, Mexico
Nelly del Socorro Cruz-Cansino: Área Académica de Nutrición, Centro de Investigación Interdisciplinario, Instituto de Ciencias de la Salud, Circuito Actopan-Tilcuautla s/n. Ex-hacienda La Concepción, San Agustín Tlaxiaca 42160, Hidalgo, Mexico
Jose Alberto Ariza-Ortega: Área Académica de Nutrición, Centro de Investigación Interdisciplinario, Instituto de Ciencias de la Salud, Circuito Actopan-Tilcuautla s/n. Ex-hacienda La Concepción, San Agustín Tlaxiaca 42160, Hidalgo, Mexico
Javier Añorve-Morga: Área Académica de Química, Instituto de Ciencias Básicas e Ingeniería, Ciudad del Conocimiento, Carretera Pachuca-Tulancingo Km. 4.5 Col. Carboneras, Mineral de la Reforma 42184, Hidalgo, Mexico
Deyanira Ojeda-Ramírez: Área Académica de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Instituto de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo, Av. Universidad Km 1, Ex-Hda. de Aquetzalpa, Tulancingo 43600, Hidalgo, Mexico
Reyna Nallely Falfan-Cortes: Área Académica de Química, Instituto de Ciencias Básicas e Ingeniería, Ciudad del Conocimiento, Carretera Pachuca-Tulancingo Km. 4.5 Col. Carboneras, Mineral de la Reforma 42184, Hidalgo, Mexico
Jose Arias-Rico: Área Académica de Enfermería, Centro de Investigación Interdisciplinario, Instituto de Ciencias de la Salud, Circuito Actopan-Tilcuautla s/n. Ex-hacienda La Concepción, San Agustín Tlaxiaca 42160, Hidalgo, Mexico
Esther Ramírez-Moreno: Área Académica de Nutrición, Centro de Investigación Interdisciplinario, Instituto de Ciencias de la Salud, Circuito Actopan-Tilcuautla s/n. Ex-hacienda La Concepción, San Agustín Tlaxiaca 42160, Hidalgo, Mexico

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 6, 1-15

Abstract: This research aimed to compare some physicochemical and antioxidant properties in vegetables (chard, beet, coriander, spinach, lettuce, radish, carrot, and tomato) of ecological and commercial production. The ecological products were cultivated and obtained from three harvests in an ecology garden with standardized methodologies for implementation while the commercial samples were obtained from a local supplier. On the same purchase or harvest day, the color, texture, moisture, and ashes parameters were measured in the fresh produce without unpeeling. In the lyophilized samples, bioactive compounds (total phenolic compounds, ascorbic acid, chlorophyll a and b , β-carotenes, anthocyanins, betalains, and lycopene) were determined, and antioxidant activity was found using the 2,2-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS •+ ), 2,2′-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays, and chelating activity. The ecological vegetables presented better color (high luminosity and intensity) than commercial samples, and, according to the value of ΔE, this is a difference that can be perceived by the human eye. In the same way, the ecological vegetables were more turgid than the commercial samples ( p < 0.05). The content of bioactive compounds was found in higher concentrations in ecologically produced vegetables and this was correlated positively with antioxidant capacity. It is important to carry out more studies to determine the effect on health of these vegetables when they are integrated into the diet and thus to be able to recommend their inclusion in the diet as a sustainability strategy in the production of vegetables for self-consumption.

Keywords: ecological vegetables; phenolic; bioactive compounds; antioxidant activity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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