What You Need to Know
Anthocyanin pigments in red flowers degrade irreversibly above 60 °C, losing >30 % color after 5 min. Glucosinolate concentrations peak at 10–12 days post‑sowing, declining by ~15 % if harvested later. Brief blanching (30 s at 85 °C) reduces nitrate by 40 % while preserving chlorophyll. Sesquiterpene lactones in Asteraceae flowers can trigger allergies above 0.5 mg kg⁻¹.
The Science
Primary Reaction
Thermal degradation of anthocyanins and glucosinolate hydrolysis; nitrate reduction via blanching