Nutritional values of raw and cooked 'calçots' (Allium cepa L. resprouts), an expanding crop

Abstract

‘Calçot’ is the Catalan name for the immature floral stems of second-year onion resprouts of the Blanca Tardana de Lleida (BTL) landrace. Highly appreciated for their sensory attributes, these resprouts are typically consumed after roasting on an open fire. Now new preparations are appearing, helping to expand the market for ‘calçots’. This study aimed (i) to compare the nutritional and sensory characteristics of BTL ‘calçots’ versus other onion varieties; (ii) to analyze the effects of cooking and / or in vitro gastrointestinal digestion on the nutritional properties of ‘calçots’; and (iii) to determine the influence of the environment on the antioxidant properties of ‘calçots’.