QUALITY CHANGES IN CURDS OF WHITE, GREEN, AND ROMANESCO CAULIFLOWER DURING STORAGE

摘要

Between 2002 and 2004 studies of cauliflower grown for autumn harvest were conducted. The investigated plants included cauliflower of white, green and romanesco cultivars, produced at different nitrogen fertilisation and degree of curd development Following the harvesting, curds were placed for a period of 5 weeks in a cooling room at 2 deg C and a relative air humidity of 85-90%, The largest curds were obtained from the plants of white cauliflower and the smallest ones from the romanesco cauliflower. Fertilisation with a higher dose of nitrogen led to the formation of larger curds in the white and green cultivars of cauliflower. Larger curds were obtained when harvest was at the time where curds reached standard commercial quality (possibly maximumweight and simultaneous compact and smooth surface). The green cultivar of cauliflower was characterised by the longest duration of storage. In comparison with green and romanesco cultivars, curds of the white cultivar contained higher concentrations ofcalcium and sodium. Compared to the romanesco cultivar, curds of green cauliflower contained a higher concentration of L-ascorbic acid, potassium and sodium Following the storage period, the content of almost all analysed elements increased in every cultivar of cauliflower.