Paper

Antioxidative and antimutagenic activities and polyphenol content of pesticide-free and organically cultivated green vegetables using water-soluble chitosan as a soil modifier and leaf surface spray

  1. Huifeng Ren†,
  2. Hideaki Endo,
  3. Tetsuhito Hayashi*

Article first published online: 15 OCT 2001

DOI: 10.1002/jsfa.955

Issue

Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture

Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture

Volume 81, Issue 15, pages 1426–1432, December 2001

Additional Information

How to Cite

Ren, H., Endo, H. and Hayashi, T. (2001), Antioxidative and antimutagenic activities and polyphenol content of pesticide-free and organically cultivated green vegetables using water-soluble chitosan as a soil modifier and leaf surface spray. J. Sci. Food Agric., 81: 1426–1432. doi: 10.1002/jsfa.955

Author Information

  1. Department of Food Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Fisheries, 4-5-7 Konan, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8477, Japan

  1. †

    Harbin University of Commerce, 138 Tongda St, Daoli District, Harbin 150076, People's Republic of China

*Department of Food Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Fisheries, 4-5-7 Konan, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8477, Japan

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 15 OCT 2001
  2. Article first published online: 15 OCT 2001
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 3 AUG 2001
  4. Manuscript Revised: 14 JUN 2001
  5. Manuscript Received: 3 JAN 2001

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Keywords:

  • biological function;
  • water-soluble chitosan;
  • green vegetables;
  • antioxidative activity;
  • antimutagenic activity;
  • polyphenol

Abstract

Five green vegetables (qing-gen-cai, Chinese Cabbage, spinach, Welsh onion and green pepper) commonly used in our daily diet were analysed to determine their antioxidative and antimutagenic activities and chemical content of polyphenols. We obtained pesticide-free and organically cultivated (O) vegetables using water-soluble chitosan as a soil modifier and leaf surface spray (as an alternative natural insecticide) in order to investigate biofunctions induced or enhanced by such specialised cultivation practices. In addition, we purchased the same varieties of vegetables cultivated on an adjacent farm in the conventional manner (C) using pesticides and chemical fertilisers in order to examine the differences in biological activities and distribution of constituents responsible for such activities. The antioxidative activity shown by O vegetables was 120% times higher than that shown by C vegetables in the case of spinach and 20–50% higher in the case of Welsh onion, Chinese cabbage and qing-gen-cai. In comparison with C vegetables, the antimutagenic activity shown by O vegetables was higher against 4-nitroquinoline oxide (4NQO) in qing-gen-cai, Chinese cabbage and Welsh onion, against benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) in all five vegetables, against 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (IQ) in qing-gen-cai, Chinese cabbage and green pepper and against 3-amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole acetate (Trp-P-2) in spinach only. Among all green vegetable juices tested for flavonoid composition, quercitrin, caffeic acid and baicalein in O vegetables were detected in concentrations 1.3–10.4 times higher than those found in C vegetables, suggesting the influence of different cultivation practices.

© 2001 Society of Chemical Industry

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