Rosanna Dimita

Consumers appreciate microgreens for their vast variety of colors and flavors. Usually, they are grown employing peat, a substrate that is used in large quantities. In order to identify a more sustainable propagation protocol and to reduce the amount of peat consumed, alternative propagation protocols were evaluated. Jute is a biodegradable substra...

While studying aromas produced by the edible flowers of Tulbaghia violacea, we noticed a different production of (Z)-3-Hexenyl acetate (a green-leaf volatile, GLV) by purple (var. ‘Violacea’) and white (var. ‘Alba’) flowers. The white Tulbaghia flowers constantly emits (Z)-3-Hexenyl acetate, which is instead produced in a lower amount by the purple...

Edible flowers (EFs) are currently consumed as fresh products, but their shelf life can be extended by a suitable drying technique, avoiding the loss of visual quality and valuable nutraceutical properties. Begonia cucullata Willd is a common ornamental bedding plant, and its leaves and flowers are edible. In this work, B. cucullata red flowers wer...

Microgreens are considered products of high biological value because they contain natural and beneficial metabolites and antioxidants in high amounts; also, consumers appreciate them very much for their aromas. In this work, we focused our attention on the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from whole fresh leaves of two Chinese basil variet...

Rose-scented geranium (Pelargonium sp.) have been the subject of many studies concerning essential oil, unlike the edible flowers of scent Pelargonium despite the beneficial properties of chemical compounds present in such organ and the fragrances produced. Therefore, we investigated organic compounds, total phenols and the antioxidant activity of...

Agastache spp. are used as ornamental plants for their pleasant aroma and the different colors of flowers. Nowadays, their edible flowers have become attractive for their nutraceutical properties. Post-harvest treatment appears as a crucial point to avoid impairment of the nutraceutical compounds and aroma, so different treatments were tested to an...

Tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa) is a bulbous species belonging to Asparagaceae family, characterized by a very high ornamental value, pleasant flower scent and taste. For all these reasons, flowers are currently used to produce perfumes or valorized as actual ingredient of different recipes, since they are completely edible. P. tuberosa is one out o...