Chlorinated sanitizers preserve bioactive compounds and mitigate oxidative stress in Begonia semperflorens edible flowers during storage

Begonia semperflorens edible flowers are rich in bioactive compounds such as phenolics, flavonoids, and anthocyanins. This study evaluated the effects of different sanitization methods — control, distilled water (DTW), sodium hypochlorite (SH), and sodium dichlorite-s-triazinetrione (SDST) — on the retention of these compounds and oxidative stress levels during postharvest storage. Flowers were sanitized and stored at 5 °C for ten days. Analyses of bioactive compound content, ethylene (C2H4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) production, and histochemical assays were conducted immediately after sanitization, and at five and ten days post-treatment. Results showed that flowers treated with SDST exhibited a 57 % increase in phenolic content and a 27 % increase in flavonoid content compared to the control and DTW treatments at the end of the storage period. Flowers that were not treated with chlorine showed increased hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) accumulation and a 35 % reduction in anthocyanin content after ten days of storage, compared to those treated with chlorine-based sanitizers. The absence of differences in antioxidant capacity between treatments suggests that chlorine-based sanitizers help preserve bioactive compound levels without compromising antioxidant potential. Color analysis further indicated that no sanitization was preferable to treatment with pure water. Overall, chlorine sanitizers appear to be effective options for preserving the nutraceutical quality of edible flowers, in addition to their known antimicrobial benefits.