Edible Substrates for Ready-to-Eat Microgreen Pots: "Farm on the Fork" Concept

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Food Science
• Plant Science

Background:

• Microgreens are typically grown on non-edible substrates, limiting product edibility.
• Edible substrates offer potential for fully edible, ready-to-eat microgreen products.
• The "farm on the fork" concept emphasizes integrated food production and consumption.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate mustard microgreens (white, red, green) grown on an edible gellan gum substrate.
• To assess the impact of gellan gum concentration and essential oil supplementation on microgreen growth and bioactive properties.
• To determine the optimal conditions for producing ready-to-eat mustard microgreens.

Main Methods:

• Mustard microgreens were cultivated on gellan gum substrates with and without essential oil supplementation.
• Agronomical parameters (germination, dry weight, hypocotyl length, cotyledon area) were measured.
• Bioactive compounds (phenolics, carotenoids, flavonoids, phytomelatonin) and antioxidant capacity were analyzed.

Main Results:

• Gellan gum at 20 g/L was optimal, supporting high germination rates (>95%) and growth without irrigation.
• White mustard microgreens exhibited the highest fresh weight and growth parameters.
• Red mustard microgreens demonstrated superior nutraceutical value, including higher carotenoids, flavonoids, antioxidant capacity, and phytomelatonin.
• Essential oils had minimal impact on final harvest traits but caused transient increases in bioactive compounds during early growth stages.

Conclusions:

• Gellan gum is an effective edible substrate for producing ready-to-eat mustard microgreens.
• The "farm on the fork" system using gellan gum supports high yields and nutritional quality.
• Red mustard microgreens possess significant nutraceutical potential when grown on gellan gum, with or without essential oil supplementation.