Chemical composition of the edible flowers, pansy (Viola wittrockiana) and snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus) as new sources of bioactive compounds.

The nutritional composition - including total and individual phenolic compounds, carotenoids, and the antioxidant capacity - of two commercially available edible flowers, pansy and snapdragon, was studied. The edible flowers did not differ in their carbohydrates, fat, or ash contents, or in total energy, but pansy had higher values of moisture, protein, and total dietary fiber than snapdragon. Phenolic compounds were more abundant in pansy than in snapdragon, and flavonoids were the major compounds, followed by anthocyanins. The phenolic profile of pansy included flavonols, such as quercetin and isorhamnetin glycosides, flavones, such as apigenin glycosides, and anthocyanins, such as cyanidin and delphinidin glycosides; in snapdragon it included flavonol glycosides (e.g. quercetin and kaempferol glycosides) and anthocyanins, such as cyanidin and pelargonidin glycosides. The contents of total carotenoids were 146 and 29 µg/mg for pansy and snapdragon, respectively, and lutein was the dominant compound.

Extending the shelf life of edible flowers with controlled release of 1-methylcyclopropene and modified atmosphere packaging.

Edible flowers have great sensory appeal, but their extremely short shelf life limits their commercial usage. Postharvest 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) treatment is used to counter ethylene activity and delay senescence in fresh produce; however, its potential application in edible flowers has not been tested. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of 1-MCP treatment with modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) on the shelf life of edible flowers. Freshly harvested carnations and snapdragons were packaged in trays with or without 0.5 µL/L of 1-MCP, sealed with a gas permeable film, and stored at 5 °C. Package atmospheres, tissue electrolyte leakage, and flower quality were evaluated on days 0, 7, and 14. Treatment with 1-MCP resulted in significantly slower changes in package headspace O(2), CO(2), and C(2)H(4) partial pressures, maintained higher overall quality of both flower species and reduced electrolyte leakage and abscission in snapdragon. All samples prepared with MAP had significantly reduced dehydration and higher overall quality compared to flowers packaged commercially in plastic clamshell containers. Treatments with controlled release of 1-MCP and MAP significantly extended storage life of edible carnation and snapdragon flowers.