Effect of boiling on the content of ascorbigen, indole-3-carbinol, indole-3-acetonitrile, and 3,3'-diindolylmethane in fermented cabbage.

The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of the boiling process on the content of ascorbigen, indole-3-carbinol, indole-3-acetonitrile, and 3,3'-diindolylmethane in fermented cabbage. The cabbage was boiled for 5 to 60 min. Boiling resulted in a decrease of the total content of the compounds analysed. The changes were mainly caused by leaching of ascorbigen predominating in cabbage into cooking water and by its thermal hydrolysis. Ascorbigen losses resulting from thermal hydrolysis accounted for 30% after 10 min of boiling and for 90% after 60 min of boiling. One of the ascorbigen breakdown products was indole 3 carbinol; the decrease in ascorbigen content was accompanied by a drastic increase in the content of 3,3'-diindolylmethane, a condensation product of indole-3-carbinol. After 40 and 50 min of boiling, the total content of 3,3'-diindolylmethane in cabbage and cooking water was approximately 0.2 micromol/100 g and was 6-fold higher than that in uncooked cabbage. 3,3'-Diindolylmethane synthesis proceeded within the plant tissue. After 10 min of boiling, the content of free indole-3-carbinol and indole-3-acetonitrile stabilized at the level of about 80% as compared to the uncooked cabbage.