Get in touch
Questions about growing, workshops, the cooperative or partnerships? Send us a message and we will reply by email.
Prefer email? Write to erasmus@evec.org.gr
EVEC Microgreens
Evaluation of Growth Conditions, Antioxidant Potential, and Sensory Attributes of Six Diverse Microgreens Species
Microgreens belong to a class of functional foods with valuable nutritional elements and diverse health benefits when consumed as food supplements. Its con
Ajeet Singh Dhaka, Harsh Kumar Dikshit, Gyan P. Mishra, Mechiya Tomuilim Tontang, Nand Lal Meena, Ranjeet Ranjan Kumar, S. V. Ramesh, Sneh Narwal, Muraleedhar S. Aski, Vinutha Thimmegowda, Sanjeev Gupta, Ramakrishnan M. Nair, Shelly Praveen
Agriculture · 2023 · https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture13030676
Abstract
Microgreens belong to a class of functional foods with valuable nutritional elements and diverse health benefits when consumed as food supplements. Its consumption has increased sharply due to the abundance of different health-promoting components than their mature plants. The present study investigated the growth conditions and nutritional profiles of six crops (mungbean, lentil, red radish, pearl-millet, mustard, and red cabbage) as microgreens grown under the light with a 16 h light/8 h dark cycle. Firstly, the optimum temperature and the day of harvesting of each of the microgreens for their maximum yield were standardized. The optimum temperature ranged from 24 to 28 °C, and the best stage for their harvesting ranged from the 6th to 13th day for all six microgreens species. Physiological parameters such as height, yield, color, moisture content, seed weight to fresh weight (FW) ratio, and FW to dry weight (DW) were also estimated. All the microgreens were analyzed for the total phenolics content, total anthocyanin content, vitamin C, free radical scavenging activity, dietary fiber, and phytic acid contents at the harvesting stage. Total phenolics, total anthocyanin, and vitamin C contents ranged from 55 to 1240 mg/100 g, 25 to 186 mg/100 g, and 22 to 86 mg/100 g, respectively, in the studied microgreens. Red cabbage and pearl-millet microgreens accumulated higher phenolics than other studied microgreens, while total anthocyanin content was higher in red radish and pearl-millet microgreens. Vitamin C content was recorded as highest in red cabbage microgreens. DPPH-based free radical scavenging activity ranged from 62–84% and was highest in red cabbage microgreens. All the microgreens were also analyzed for their dietary fiber (DF) content which ranged from 2.5–12.5% and was recorded as maximum in pearl millet microgreens. The findings of this study offer helpful information on the growth circumstances necessary to produce microgreens with the greatest nutrient and health benefits.
Licence and reuse
| Licence | CC-BY-4.0 |
|---|---|
| May we host this PDF? | Yes |
| May we publish a plain-language summary? | Yes — this licence permits adaptations. |
| Commercial use permitted? | Yes |
| Share-alike required? | No |
How to credit this work
Ajeet Singh Dhaka; Harsh Kumar Dikshit; Gyan P. Mishra; Mechiya Tomuilim Tontang; Nand Lal Meena; Ranjeet Ranjan Kumar; S. V. Ramesh; Sneh Narwal; Muraleedhar S. Aski; Vinutha Thimmegowda; Sanjeev Gupta; Ramakrishnan M. Nair; Shelly Praveen (2023). Evaluation of Growth Conditions, Antioxidant Potential, and Sensory Attributes of Six Diverse Microgreens Species. Agriculture. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture13030676 Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Hosted by EVEC Athens (microgreens.org.gr). No changes were made to this article. Provided as-is, without warranties. EVEC Athens is not affiliated with, and this copy is not endorsed by, the authors or the publisher.
Explore this on our site
- How to grow it: Mustard microgreens — growing guide
- How to grow it: Radish microgreens — growing guide
- How to grow it: Red Cabbage microgreens — growing guide
- Related reading: Microgreens and their anti inflammatory antioxidant and preventive potential
- Related reading: The antioxidant capacity of radish microgreens
- Related reading: Microgreens vs mature versions
- Related reading: Sensory analysis in microgreens why some are spicy others sweet and others taste like fresh grass
About this copy
This is a copy of the published article, hosted by EVEC Athens for free educational use under its open licence. The permanent scientific reference is the DOI above. We have not altered the file in any way. If you are an author or rights holder and want this copy removed, please use our notice and takedown procedure. We acknowledge every request within five working days, and act within ten.
Co-funded by the European Union.
This portal presents the microgreens methodology; the organisation behind it is EVEC Athens — the European Voluntary and Educational Center (evec.org.gr). Views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
Open licence. Except where stated otherwise, the educational materials on this portal are licensed under CC BY 4.0 — free to use, adapt and share, including commercially, with credit. See the licence terms.
Accessibility. We aim for WCAG 2.1 AA and publish what does and does not yet meet it — see the accessibility statement. If anything here blocks you, tell us and we will send the material in a format that works for you.