Effect of rehydration temperature on the cell wall components of broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. Var. italica) plant tissues Original Research Article

Broccoli florets and stems tissues were rehydrated at different temperatures, namely 25°C, 40°C, 55°C, 65°C and 80°C. Water sorption capacity (WSC) values exhibited by broccoli tissues largely depended on the temperature used. Broccoli tissues showed maximum WSC values when rehydration was performed at relatively low temperatures. A significant correlation was found between WSC and the total arabinose content of broccoli tissues. Further, sequential extraction of pectic polymers revealed that samples with lower WSC exhibited a larger solubilisation of neutral pectic side-chains, the florets sample being rehydrated at 40°C which better maintained the original pectin structure. Overall, the results suggest that arabinose-rich pectin neutral side-chains might play an important role on the water sorption process of dehydrated broccoli tissues.