Effects of Cabbage (Brassica oleracea) Extract in Prolonging the Shelf-Life of Radish (Raphanus sativus)

The main objective of this study was to extract flavonoids from cabbages, apply the formulated extracts to the radish, and measure the effects, while simultaneously repurposing the cabbages, focusing on parameters such as weight loss, signs of decay, and firmness. The study created 250 mL cabbage extracts at 20%, 40%, and 60% concentrations using microwave-assisted extraction and tested for flavonoids using Alkaline Reagent Test and Shinoda Test, which was applied to the radishes at a 7-day period. Results show that all treated groups exhibited slightly greater weight loss compared to control but was not significant with a p-value of 0.915. All treated groups showed a reduction in decay signs compared to control, but the difference lacked statistical significance with a p-value of 0.958. All treated groups showed significantly improved firmness with a p-value of 0.017, with a post-hoc analysis that revealed a significant firmness improvement with 20% concentration. While the cabbage extract did not significantly impact weight loss or signs of decay of radishes compared to the control, all treated groups exhibited significantly firmer radishes, with the 20% concentration showing the most efficacy. Further studies could explore alternate samples and extractions and modified controlled storage.

Vegetables in the Philippines suffer high post-harvest wastage (~42%), largely driven by high moisture content. Radishes (Raphanus sativus) spoil rapidly within 2–4 days at room temperature due to 90–95% water composition. By repurposing unwanted agricultural cabbages (Brassica oleracea), this study investigated coating radishes with flavonoid-rich extract (quercetin & kaempferol) via microwave-assisted extraction as an organic, natural preservative intervention.