UV-B light as a factor affecting total soluble phenolic contents of various whole and fresh-cut specialty crops

Abstract The effect of ultraviolet-B (UV-B) light treatment on total soluble phenolic (TSP) contents of various whole and fresh-cut specialty crops was evaluated. Whole fruits (strawberries, blueberries, grapes), vegetables (cherry tomatoes, white sweet corn) and root crops (sweet potatoes, colored potatoes), and fresh-cut fruit, vegetables and root crops (apple wedge, iceberg lettuce, broccoli floret and stem, and sliced radish, daikon, and parsnip) were treated with increasing UV-B dose levels (1.3–5.9 kJ m −2 ) and followed by incubation to allow for the samples to respond. TSP levels were measured. The changes in TSP were species-dependent. Whole grapes, blueberries, pink and red cherry tomatoes, white sweet corn, colored potatoes and sweet potatoes did not benefit from UV-B exposure. Strawberries showed a slight, but significant increase in TSP at the highest UV-B dose. UV-B exposure did not affect TSP of apple wedge, broccoli floret and stem, sliced radish and daikon after incubation. Fresh-cut lettuce and parsnip showed significant 1.2 and 2.3 times increase, respectively, in TSP mostly due to the combination effect of wounding and UV-B light exposure after 3 d of incubation. UV-B light exposure (1.3–5.9 kJ m −2 ) can be used as an additional processing step on selected specialty crops to enhance their soluble phenolic contents.