High-pressure homogenization enhances the physicochemical properties and extraction of broccoli leaf bioactives

Raquel Carvalho; Nicholas E. Stamatiou; Anwar Sunna; Alfonso Garcia-Bennett

doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2026.148121

High-pressure homogenization enhances the physicochemical properties and extraction of broccoli leaf bioactives

Raquel Carvalho, Nicholas E. Stamatiou, Anwar Sunna, Alfonso Garcia-Bennett^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

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Abstract

Broccoli leaves, despite their rich bioactive content, are considered non-edible, thus wasted. High-pressure homogenization (HPH) is a non-thermal, water-based technique that is emerging as an alternative for processing agri-food waste. In this study, the effects of HPH (performed at 90 MPa) on the physicochemical and phytochemical properties of broccoli leaves were evaluated and compared to a conventional blending method. HPH-treated samples exhibited smaller, greener particles with evident cell disruption. In the serum, broccoli leaves treated with HPH showed higher concentrations of amino acids and monosaccharides. Additionally, methanolic extracts of HPH-treated samples presented greater contents of total phenolics, flavonoids, and glucosinolates, as confirmed by metabolomic analysis. A total of 201 compounds were annotated, with 22 uniquely detected in HPH-treated samples and 16 in blended ones. HPH-treated extracts also exhibited higher antioxidant activity, more than doubling the activity at all concentration ranges studied. Altogether, these findings indicate that HPH improves the physicochemical properties, bioactive compound extraction, and antioxidant capacity of broccoli leaves.

Original language	English
Article number	148121
Pages (from-to)	1-12
Number of pages	12
Journal	Food Chemistry
Volume	508
Issue number	Part A
Early online date	23 Jan 2026
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2026.148121
Publication status	Published - 15 Apr 2026

Bibliographical note

Copyright the Author(s) 2026. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.

Keywords

Antioxidant
Brassica oleracea
By-product
Glucosinolate
Juice
Metabolomics
Particle size

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10.1016/j.foodchem.2026.148121

Publisher version (open access)Final published version, 2.62 MBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

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title = "High-pressure homogenization enhances the physicochemical properties and extraction of broccoli leaf bioactives",

abstract = "Broccoli leaves, despite their rich bioactive content, are considered non-edible, thus wasted. High-pressure homogenization (HPH) is a non-thermal, water-based technique that is emerging as an alternative for processing agri-food waste. In this study, the effects of HPH (performed at 90 MPa) on the physicochemical and phytochemical properties of broccoli leaves were evaluated and compared to a conventional blending method. HPH-treated samples exhibited smaller, greener particles with evident cell disruption. In the serum, broccoli leaves treated with HPH showed higher concentrations of amino acids and monosaccharides. Additionally, methanolic extracts of HPH-treated samples presented greater contents of total phenolics, flavonoids, and glucosinolates, as confirmed by metabolomic analysis. A total of 201 compounds were annotated, with 22 uniquely detected in HPH-treated samples and 16 in blended ones. HPH-treated extracts also exhibited higher antioxidant activity, more than doubling the activity at all concentration ranges studied. Altogether, these findings indicate that HPH improves the physicochemical properties, bioactive compound extraction, and antioxidant capacity of broccoli leaves.",

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author = "Raquel Carvalho and Stamatiou, \{Nicholas E.\} and Anwar Sunna and Alfonso Garcia-Bennett",

note = "Copyright the Author(s) 2026. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher. ",

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AU - Stamatiou, Nicholas E.

AU - Sunna, Anwar

AU - Garcia-Bennett, Alfonso

N1 - Copyright the Author(s) 2026. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.

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Y1 - 2026/4/15

N2 - Broccoli leaves, despite their rich bioactive content, are considered non-edible, thus wasted. High-pressure homogenization (HPH) is a non-thermal, water-based technique that is emerging as an alternative for processing agri-food waste. In this study, the effects of HPH (performed at 90 MPa) on the physicochemical and phytochemical properties of broccoli leaves were evaluated and compared to a conventional blending method. HPH-treated samples exhibited smaller, greener particles with evident cell disruption. In the serum, broccoli leaves treated with HPH showed higher concentrations of amino acids and monosaccharides. Additionally, methanolic extracts of HPH-treated samples presented greater contents of total phenolics, flavonoids, and glucosinolates, as confirmed by metabolomic analysis. A total of 201 compounds were annotated, with 22 uniquely detected in HPH-treated samples and 16 in blended ones. HPH-treated extracts also exhibited higher antioxidant activity, more than doubling the activity at all concentration ranges studied. Altogether, these findings indicate that HPH improves the physicochemical properties, bioactive compound extraction, and antioxidant capacity of broccoli leaves.

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KW - By-product

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KW - Particle size

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JF - Food Chemistry

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High-pressure homogenization enhances the physicochemical properties and extraction of broccoli leaf bioactives

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

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FAAB: ARC Training Centre for Facilitated Advancement of Australia's Bioactives (FAAB)

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High-pressure homogenization enhances the physicochemical properties and extraction of broccoli leaf bioactives

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Projects

FAAB: ARC Training Centre for Facilitated Advancement of Australia's Bioactives (FAAB)

Cite this