Production of ready-to-eat lentil sprouts with improved antioxidant capacity: Optimization of elicitation conditions with hydrogen peroxide

• Elicitation conditions for improving antioxidant capacity of sprouts were studied.
• H2O2 treatments increased the antioxidant potential of sprouts.
• Elicitation induced de novo synthesis of phenolics antioxidants.
• Time and intervals of H2O2 treatments strongly affected on quality of sprouts.

This study evaluates the optimal conditions for elicitation with H2O2 for improving the antioxidant capacity of lentil sprouts. Generally, except for 3-day-old sprouts, elicitation increased phenolic content (in respect to the control). The highest phenolic content was determined for 2-day-old sprouts treated with 15 mM H2O2 (0.71 mg/g f.m.). All the studied modifications increased the antioxidant potential of sprouts. The highest elevation (3.2-fold) was found for 5-day-old sprouts (single 15 mM H2O2 treatment). A significant increase was also found on the 2nd and 4th days (2.13- and 2.14-fold, respectively). Elicitation induced tyrosine and phenylalanine ammonia-lyases activities. H2O2 treatments induced the activity of catalase – especially for 2-day-old sprouts treated with 150 mM H2O2 (597 U/g f.m.). Elicitation with H2O2 is a useful tool for designing some features of sprouts. Phenolic content and antioxidant capacity are strongly affected by concentration of the elicitor, and time and intervals of its application.