Comparative aroma and nutrients profiling in six edible versus nonedible cruciferous vegetables using MS based metabolomics

Cruciferous vegetables, also known as brassicaceae vegetables, are widely consumed worldwide for their nutritive and substantial health benefits. Compositional heterogeneity was explored in six cruciferous vegetables viz, cauliflower, turnip, broccoli, watercress, radish and cabbage leaves targeting their aroma and nutrients profile. A headspace solid-phase micro extraction (HS-SPME) technique combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was employed for metabolite profiling. Results revealed extensive variation in volatiles and nonvolatile profiles among the six cruciferous vegetables. A total of 55 nutrient metabolites were identified, whereas a total of 190 volatiles were detected. Aldehydes and ketones appeared as the most discriminatory among leaves, accounting for its distinct aroma. Furthermore, chemometric analysis of both datasets showed clear classification of the six vegetables, with several key novel markers. This study provides the first comparative study between edible and inedible parts of cruciferous vegetables, suggesting novel uses as functional foods.