Properties of canned cardoon hearts in relation to genotype

Wild cardoon (Cynara cardunculus L var. sylvestris (Lam.) is widespread in Sicily by several populations and immature flowers were usually collected and cooked during spring utilizing them as traditional starters or for home processing. Sometimes, the capitula heads are sold in local market, both row or already boiled in traditional big containers. Considering the high nutraceutical value of this product, similar to globe artichoke, and the lack of research activities related to this product of Sicilian tradition, the aim of this work, was to individuate the variation of the firmness and of browning indices in relation to the cooking time and to the different accessions collected in Sicily conserved ex situ at CNR ISAFOM. Four accessions of cardoon, one belonging to var. altilis and three to var. sylvestris collected at Syracuse (SR, Italy), S. Domenica Vittoria (ME, Italy) and Polverello (ME, Italy) before flowering stage were studied. The harvested capitula were subjected to a dipping the hearts in a solution at 0?C of sodium hypochlorite 0.5% (v/v) for 30 minutes. In order to assess the optimal cooking time, a cooking treatment at 2 minutes intervals until 28 minutes was performed, using distilled water in a ratio of 1 g capitula:10 ml water. On row hearths and every four two minutes for a total of seven sampling, on 6 hearths (experimental unit), the weight (g), the colour of the external bracts (Minolta CR-400) and the firmness (kg cm-2) were determined.On average of accessions, the firmness was acceptable until 8 minutes (29.3 kg cm-2) but after this time the softness determined the damage of the tissues. These values are well related to the water adsorbed during the blanching process. The lightness L* decreased from 51 (row capitula) to 42 (28 minutes) and the Chroma increased, passing from 11.6 (row capitula) to 15.9 (28 minutes.) This paper gives useful information about cooking process of cardoon to obtain new stored nutraceutical products. SourcesSensory properties of canned cardoon hearts in relation to genotype1Melilli, M.G., 1Argento, S., 1Scandura, S., 1Pagliaro, A., 1Calderaro, P., 2Di Bella, M.C., 2Branca, F.1CNR ISAFOM CT, Via Empedocle 58, 95128 Catania, Italy; mariagrazia.melilli@cnr.it; sergio.argento@cnr.it; salvatore.scandurra@cnr.it; antonella.pagliaro@isafom.cnr.it; pietro.calderaro@cnr.it; 2University of Catania, Di3A, via Valdisavoia 5, 95123 Catania, Italy; mariaconcettadibella@hotmail.it; fbranca@unict.it?Artichoke 2019 X International Symposium, 12-15 March, Orihuela, Spain Pictures1 - Gu?a visual de la biodiversidad de Navarra,?Cynara cardunculus L. var. sylvestris Lam., Cynara sylvestris Lam. Var.2 -?Minolta CR-400 by?AQ Instruments?