2.3 Increasing antioxidant content of broccoli sprouts using essential oils during cold storage

#### 2.3.1 Methodology

### 2.3.1.1 Plant material and germination condition

(Brassica oleracea L. var. italica and the variety name is F1 Hybrid Sakura) from Tokita Seeds CO., LTD (Saitama, Japan). The seeds (1000 seeds, nearly 5 g) for each treatment were soaked in a sodium hypochlorite solution at 0.5% v/v for 15 min then were dipped in 50 ml of deionized water for 5½ h with shaking every 30 min and washed with deionized and sterilized water. On 15th of September, broadcast the seeds were done over absorbent medical cotton in sprouting plastic containers (220 110 mm). The emulsions of various natural essential oil at the concentration of 0.05% were emulsified in tween 80 (1.5 ml/l) in the cotton media and the containers were getting closed immediately. The containers were maintained at 25 2°C with and 16 h light/8 h darkness, 80–90% relative humidity and 7.4 lmol/m<sup>2</sup> /s light intensity to give the best germination conditions. All sprouts in containers were cut above their root mats after 3 days from sowing. The sprouts were weighed for 20 g for each placed container and stored at 4°C in the dark to simulate a domestic refrigerator for 15 days. The sprouts of best treatment with control were stored only.
