NUTRACEUTICAL VALUE OF EDIBLE FLOWERS UPON COLD STORAGE

The attraction and quality of edible flowers correlates with their high perishability. Few studies have evaluated whether edible flowers decay faster than they lose their nutraceutical value. In this experiment, ascorbic acid was negatively affected by cold storage in all the edible flowers investigated, whereas phenolic, flavonoid, and anthocyanin content were affected only in some cases. No decrease in total antioxidant activity was detected in any of the edible flowers at the end of their shelf life. Our dataset highlights that (i) the selection of edible flowers with low moisture content is key in ensuring a longer shelf life, and (ii) more effort should focus on preventing water loss in edible flowers.