SUITABILITY FOR READY-TO-EAT PROCESSING AND PRESERVATION OF SIX GREEN AND RED BABY LEAVES CULTIVARS AND EVALUATION OF THEIR ANTIOXIDANT VALUE DURING STORAGE AND AFTER THE EXPIRATION DATE

The physiological and chemical traits of three red (MS151, Copacabana and Excellent) and three green (Ortis 398, Summerbell and Babybell) baby leaf lettuce cultivars were evaluated during postharvest cold storage. In addition, their potential use as a source of antioxidants, after the expiration date, was also investigated. Red cultivars showed the best performance in terms of nutritional and physiological parameters. In particular, the antioxidant activity was 11-fold higher in red than in green baby leaf lettuces. Moreover, Ortis 398, MS151 and Copacabana, showing the lowest values for respiration rate, ammonium accumulation and electrolyte leakage, were selected as suitable for ready-to-eat processing and preservation. Finally, the cultivars Ortis 398, MS151 and Excellent were found to be of interest for the extraction of antioxidants due to their high phenol content.