Use of postharvest UV-B and UV-C radiation treatments to revalorize broccoli byproducts and edible florets

- Revalorization of broccoli by-products as a source of bioactives was studied.
- Leaves showed 2.5/14.5 higher glucoraphanin/glucobrassicin contents than florets.
- Three UVB treatments, single or combined with UVC, were used to enhance bioactives.
- Intermediate UVB + UVC increased glucobrassicin levels by 34% after 72 h at 15 °C.
- High UVB + C induced the highest glucoraphanin levels of florets after 72 h at 15 °C.

UV-B radiation (5, 10 and 15 kJ m− 2) treatments, single or combined with UV-C (9 kJ m− 2), were hereby firstly studied as bioprocessing tools to enhance bioactive compounds of broccoli byproducts (leaves and stalks) compared to edible florets during storage (72 h/15 °C). Leaves showed similar total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant capacity (TAC) than florets, and 2.5/14.5 higher glucoraphanin/glucobrassicin contents than florets. UV increased initial TPC and TAC of leaves/stalks up to 31-97/30-75 and 20-120/170-420%, respectively. UV-B10 + C induced the highest TPC increase (110%) in leaves while UV-B10 and UV-B10 + C led to the highest TPC of stalks after 48 h. UV-B10 + C increased (34%) glucobrassicin levels of leaves while UV-B15 and UV-B15 + C induced the highest glucoraphanin levels (131 and 117 mg kg− 1) in florets after 72 h. Conclusively, single or combined postharvest UV-B and UV-C treatments can revalorize such agricultural byproducts and also add value to edible broccoli parts.Industrial relevanceThis work demonstrates the high potential of the use of postharvest treatments with UV-B and UV-C, optimized as single or combined treatments, to be used as bioprocessing tools to enhance the bioactive compounds of broccoli byproducts (leaves and stalks) being compared to edible florets. Thought this innovative application of this technology such agricultural wastes may be highly revalorized with a cheap technology leading to high production of health-promoting compounds with such eco-sustainable technology whose benefits can be even reach to the pharmaceutical industry.