Health-related compounds and Maillard reaction products in dry and steam roasted purple carrots (Daucus carota L.)

The effect of the roasting conditions, particularly of the use of steam, on the composition and properties of purple carrots was assessed. The results evidenced that the roasting conditions significantly impacted anthocyanin content and antioxidant activity, whereas polyphenols, acrylamide and hydroxymethyl furfural were barely affected. In particular, decreases in anthocyanin varied from 238.5 to 72.9 mg EC3G/g DW after roasting at 90 °C, for 15 min in dry mode. Reductions in DPPH activity ranged from 12.40 to 4.17 mg TE/g DW after roasting at 180 °C for 30 min in dry mode. Interestingly, the use of steam enabled anthocyanins and antioxidant activity to be preserved when temperatures around 90 °C were applied. In these same conditions, polyphenols increased from 8.3 to 12.0 mg GAE/g DW. Acrylamide and hyrdroxymethylfurfural were mostly avoided as long as temperatures around 180 °C were not used. These results are commercially interesting to obtain healthy purple carrot-based products.