Effect of Ethanol on Quality of Broccoli Flower Buds.

Abstract

The effect of ethanol on the quality of broccoli during storage at 7°C for 17 days was investigated. Fresh broccoli heads were dipped in solutions containing ethanol at 5, 7 and 10% (V/V) for 24 hours and then stored for 17 days at 7°C. The decrease in the weight of broccoli treated with ethanol at the concentration of 10% was smaller than that of the other samples. Marked effects on retaining organoleptic score, on keeping Hunter L·b/|a| value and on the delay of losses of chlorophyll were observed in the sample treated with 10% ethanol. The broccoli treated with 10% ethanol kept a higher level of overall quality for 3 or 4 days longer than the untreated broccoli.