Increasing vitamin C through agronomic biofortification of arugula microgreens
Abstract Vitamin C (Vit C) is an essential micronutrient and antioxidant for human health. Unfortunately, Vit C cannot be produced in humans and is ingested through diet while severe deficiencies can lead to scurvy. However, consumption is often inconsistent, and foods vary in Vit C concentrations....
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2022-07-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-17030-4 |
| _version_ | 1811222311383072768 |
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| author | Shivani Kathi Haydee Laza Sukhbir Singh Leslie Thompson Wei Li Catherine Simpson |
| author_facet | Shivani Kathi Haydee Laza Sukhbir Singh Leslie Thompson Wei Li Catherine Simpson |
| author_sort | Shivani Kathi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Vitamin C (Vit C) is an essential micronutrient and antioxidant for human health. Unfortunately, Vit C cannot be produced in humans and is ingested through diet while severe deficiencies can lead to scurvy. However, consumption is often inconsistent, and foods vary in Vit C concentrations. Biofortification, the practice of increasing micronutrient or mineral concentrations, can improve the nutritional quality of crops and allow for more consistent dietary levels of these nutrients. Of the three leading biofortification practices (i.e., conventional, transgenic, and agronomical), the least explored approach to increase Vit C in microgreens is agronomically, especially through the supplemental application of ascorbic acid. In this study, biofortification of Vit C in microgreens through supplemental ascorbic acid was attempted and proven achievable. Arugula (Eruca sativa 'Astro') microgreens were irrigated with four concentrations of ascorbic acid and a control. Total Vit C (T-AsA) and ascorbic acid increased in microgreens as supplementary concentrations increased. In conclusion, biofortification of Vit C in microgreens through supplemental ascorbic acid is achievable, and consumption of these bio-fortified microgreens could help fulfill the daily Vit C requirements for humans, thereby reducing the need for supplemental vitamins. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T08:13:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ab61242ac2b64ee589fc388b0067a0c0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T08:13:37Z |
| publishDate | 2022-07-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-ab61242ac2b64ee589fc388b0067a0c02022-12-22T03:40:52ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222022-07-0112111010.1038/s41598-022-17030-4Increasing vitamin C through agronomic biofortification of arugula microgreensShivani Kathi0Haydee Laza1Sukhbir Singh2Leslie Thompson3Wei Li4Catherine Simpson5Department of Plant and Soil Science, Texas Tech UniversityDepartment of Plant and Soil Science, Texas Tech UniversityDepartment of Plant and Soil Science, Texas Tech UniversityDepartment of Animal and Food Sciences, Texas Tech UniversityDepartment of Chemical Engineering, Texas Tech UniversityDepartment of Plant and Soil Science, Texas Tech UniversityAbstract Vitamin C (Vit C) is an essential micronutrient and antioxidant for human health. Unfortunately, Vit C cannot be produced in humans and is ingested through diet while severe deficiencies can lead to scurvy. However, consumption is often inconsistent, and foods vary in Vit C concentrations. Biofortification, the practice of increasing micronutrient or mineral concentrations, can improve the nutritional quality of crops and allow for more consistent dietary levels of these nutrients. Of the three leading biofortification practices (i.e., conventional, transgenic, and agronomical), the least explored approach to increase Vit C in microgreens is agronomically, especially through the supplemental application of ascorbic acid. In this study, biofortification of Vit C in microgreens through supplemental ascorbic acid was attempted and proven achievable. Arugula (Eruca sativa 'Astro') microgreens were irrigated with four concentrations of ascorbic acid and a control. Total Vit C (T-AsA) and ascorbic acid increased in microgreens as supplementary concentrations increased. In conclusion, biofortification of Vit C in microgreens through supplemental ascorbic acid is achievable, and consumption of these bio-fortified microgreens could help fulfill the daily Vit C requirements for humans, thereby reducing the need for supplemental vitamins.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-17030-4 |
| spellingShingle | Shivani Kathi Haydee Laza Sukhbir Singh Leslie Thompson Wei Li Catherine Simpson Increasing vitamin C through agronomic biofortification of arugula microgreens Scientific Reports |
| title | Increasing vitamin C through agronomic biofortification of arugula microgreens |
| title_full | Increasing vitamin C through agronomic biofortification of arugula microgreens |
| title_fullStr | Increasing vitamin C through agronomic biofortification of arugula microgreens |
| title_full_unstemmed | Increasing vitamin C through agronomic biofortification of arugula microgreens |
| title_short | Increasing vitamin C through agronomic biofortification of arugula microgreens |
| title_sort | increasing vitamin c through agronomic biofortification of arugula microgreens |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-17030-4 |
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