This study investigated quality characteristics and antioxidant activity of beetroots after blanching. Beetroots were blanched in distilled water, 2% NaCl water, and 2% citric acid water at 100°C for 3 minutes (the blanched group). The moisture content was highest in the control (CON) at 91.30% (p<0.05), and cooking loss was lowest in the water-blanched beetroot (BW) at 5.39% (p<0.01). Chromaticity decreased after blanching compared to CON (p<0.001). Total polyphenol contents (TPC) and total flavonoid contents (TFC) decreased after blanching, and as a result of comparing the True retention (TR) of the blanching treatment group, BW had the highest with TPC TR 91.22% and TFC TR 70.51%. DPPH and ABTS+ radical scavenging activities were highest in the CON, and in the blanching group BW was highest scavenging activity. The total number of microorganisms in the CON group was 2.97 log CFU/g, whereas no microorganisms were detected in the blanched groups. Therefore, this study, blanching in water without additives is the most appropriate method for preserving physiologically active substances and nutrients in beetroots and inhibiting microbial growth.

This study was undertaken to examine the quality characteristics of nonblanched carrots (CON) and carrots blanched in distilled water, 2% NaCl water and 2% citric acid at 100oC for 3 minutes. This moisture contents of CON was the highest at 85.91%, whereas NT had the lowest moisture at 83.92% (p<0.01). Compared to CON values the L values of pretreatment groups were decreased whereas the b values were increased (p<0.001) A comparison of true retention (TR), revealed that NT had the highest TPC TR 101.04% and TFC TR 91.59% (p<0.001). β-Carotene contents were determined to be higher in NT (1.98 mg/100 g) and CT (1.94 mg/100 g) than in other groups, with highest levels obtained in NT (106.64%) (p<0.001). Examination of the DPPH and ABTS+ radical scavenging activities revealed that the NT group had maximum scavenging activity. The total bacterial count was determined to be 3.37 log CFU/g in the CON, whereas no microorganisms were observed in all the pretreatment groups. Our study indicates that blanching in 2% NaCl water is the most desirable in order to increase the biochemical content and nutrient preservation rate of carrots, and to inhibit the growth of microorganisms.

This study was conducted to analyze the antioxidant and antidiabetic activities of acorns according to the types of Quercus serrata Thunb (QST) and Q. acutissima Carruther (QAC). The total polyphenol contents of the extracts from QST and QAC were 220.59 and 320.96 mg GAE/g, respectively. The content of total polyphenol of QAC was higher than that of QAC (p<0.001). DPPH (2,2 Diphenyl 1 picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging activity, reducing power and superoxide dismutase (SOD)-like activity were increased in a concentration-dependent manner by both acorn extracts, and QAC showed high activity in all antioxidant experiments (p<0.05). The inhibitory activities of α-glucosidase and α-amylase were also increased in a concentration-dependent manner, and QAC showed higher inhibitory activity than QST (p<0.05). Our study indicates that QST and QAC are functional food materials with high antioxidant and antidiabetic activities. In addition, QAC has a higher physiological activity than QST.