Antioxidant Properties of Minimally processed (ready-to-eat) Italian Cichorium genus salads

The modern lifestyle is characterized by a continuous increase in the demand of ready-to-eat fresh food products subjected to minimal processes prior marketing. Attention is drawn towards the effect of this processing on the antioxidant/antiradical properties of two typical Italian salads belonging to Cichorium genus. Four chemical assays (anti-peroxyl radical activity, DPPH• assay, metal chelating ability assay, and reducing power assay) were used for evaluating these properties. The results indicated that the anti-peroxyl radical activity, the anti-DPPH radical activity, the metal chelating ability, and the reducing power were significantly higher in fresh samples as compared to 8-days stored samples (p<0.001). Minimal processing applied to vegetables further affected the tested properties causing a decrease over time from 24h to 8d of storage at 4°C. Overall, the results presented in this study showed that any minimal processing applied to ready-to-eat vegetable affects the antioxidant/antiradical properties determining a decrease in the values registered in the four chemical assays.