
Microgreens are young, tender greens that are used to enhance the color, texture, or flavor of salads and main dishes. They can be grown in small scales and indoors, making them widely adopted by controlled environment agriculture, an indoor farming practice is particularly important for feeding increasing urban populations. Besides, microgreens are attracting more consumers’ attention due to their high nutritional value and unique sensory characteristics. This review focuses on the nutrition quality, sensory evaluation, pre- and post-harvest interventions, and health benefi ts of microgreens. Microgreens are rich in vitamins (e.g., VC), minerals (e.g., copper and zinc), and phytochemicals, including carotenoids and phenolic compounds, which act as antioxidants in human body. Pre-harvest interventions, such as illumination, salinity stress, nutrient fortifi cation, and natural substrates, infl uence the photosynthetic and metabolic activities of microgreens and were shown to improve their nutritional quality, while the effects varied among species. After harvesting, packaging method and storage temperature can infl uence the nutrient retention in microgreens. Both in vitro and in vivo studies have shown that microgreens have anti-infl ammatory, anti-cancer, anti-bacterial, and antihyperglycemia properties, making it a new functional food benefi cial to human health. The sensory attributes and overall acceptability and liking of microgreens are primarily infl uenced by their phytochemical content. Microgreens are only getting popular during the last decades and research on microgreens is still at its early stage. More studies are warranted to optimize the pre- and post-harvest practices for nutrient enhancement and retention and to explore the potential health benefi ts of different microgreens for the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases.
電話: 010-87293157
地址: 北京市豐臺區(qū)洋橋70號
版權所有 @ 2023 中國食品雜志社 京公網(wǎng)安備11010602060050號 京ICP備14033398號-2

