The effect of development time on phytochemical characteristics of red mizuna (Brassica rapa L. var. nipposinica) sprouts

Germinating seeds constitute a natural source of substances that can be used to supplement food and increase its functionality. In this work, red mizuna (Brassica rapa L. var. nipposinica) in the form of sprouts was used as research materials. The main goal of this study was to investigate the effect of germination time on the phytochemical profile of health-promoting compounds in red mizuna sprouts. The metabolomic profile of water-methanol mizuna sprout extracts was analyzed by UPLCESI-MS/MS. In this work qualitative analysis of four mizuna sprout extracts collected after 4, 6, 8 and 11 days after sowing was carried out. Moreover, the phytochemical characterization of red mizuna seeds before the sprouting process was undertaken. Thirty-nine compounds were interpreted and the fact of the variability of the qualitative profile over time was confirmed. This is the first report to provide information on the differences in the phytochemical profile between sprouts of red mizuna subjected to the influence of germination time, in order to determine the harvesting and consumption maturity of the tested plant material.