Low pH Enhances the Glucosinolate-Mediated Yellowing of Takuan-zuke under Low Salt Conditions

• Main Authors: Taito Kobayashi, Kei Kumakura, Asaka Takahashi, Hiroki Matsuoka
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-10-01
• Series: Foods
• Subjects: pickled vegetables; yellowing salted radish root; glucosinolate–myrosinase system; tryptophan biosynthesis; isothiocyanates
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/9/11/1524

This study was performed to clarify the enhancement of the 4-methylthio-3-butenyl isothiocyanate induced yellowing of salted radish root (takuan-zuke) by low pH during short-term salt-aging at low temperature and low salinity. We used two different methods to prepare the dehydrated daikon prior to salt-aging: air-drying outdoors (hoshi takuan-zuke) or salting with a stone press (shio-oshi takuan-zuke). Low salt-aging at low temperature was carried out under pH control with citrate-phosphate buffer. The yellowing of both types of takuan-zuke was accelerated below pH 5, and the color of air-dried takuan-zuke was deeper than that of salt-pressed takuan-zuke. To elucidate this phenomenon, several previously reported yellowing-related compounds were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography. The result showed that the production of the primary pigment, 2-[3-(2-thioxopyrrolidin-3-ylidene)methyl]-tryptophan, was low compared with that in previous reports. Therefore, we suggest that an unknown pigment was generated through a previously unreported pathway.