The influence of postharvest storage, temperature and duration on quality of cooked broccoli florets

Fresh broccoli heads (Brassica oleracea L, var. italica) were scored at 1C, 5C or 10C from 0 to 14 days. After this postharvest treatment, heads were cut into florets, which were given a short heat treatment and afterwards st ored in plastic bags for a period of 8 clays. Storage time and storage temp erature before processing affected the texture and color, chlorophyll, vita min C and beta-carotene of cooked florets. The texture of cooked florets wa s highly correlated with water loss of the raw heads. Significant correlati ons were found between yellowness, instrumental color measurements and chlo rophyll for cooked broccoli. Vitamin C content was affected significantly by subsequent chill temperatur e storage ofcookedflorets, which previously were stored at 5C for a period from 0 to 14 days. After 3 or 8 days of subsequent chill temperature storag e of cooked broccoli florets, the vitamin C content seemed to reach almost the same level irrespective of the duration of storage of the raw heads. be ta-carotene content of cooked broccoli florets was stable when raw broccoli heads were stored at 1C and 5C, whereas it decreased towards the end of th e storage period when the heads were stored at 10C. After cooking, beta-car otene content remained stable during subsequent chill temperature storage.