Effect of Root Storage and Forcing on the Carbohydrate and Secondary Metabolite Compostion of Belgian Endive (Cichorium intybus L. Var. foliosum)

Belgian endive is grown in a two-step cultivation process that involves growing of the plants in the field, cold storage of the taproots, and a second growth period in dark conditions called forcing to yield the witloof heads. In this study, the changes in the carbohydrate content and the secondary metabolite composition were studied in different tissues of Belgian endive during the cultivation process. Belgian endive heads contain between 336–388 mg/g DW of total soluble carbohydrates, predominantly fructose and glucose. The heads also contain phenolic compounds and terpenoids that give Belgi... Mehr ...