KR102656722B1 - Method for producing fresh-cut sprout vegetables using microplasma active species - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention generates air active species and oxygen active species in the gas phase with a microplasma generator, dissolves the generated air active species and oxygen active species in water with a microbubble pump to generate air activated water and oxygen activated water, and produces sprouts. A storage step of storing vegetables in a seed state in a storage space and injecting gaseous air active species into the storage space with an ozone concentration in the range of 0.1 to 1 ppm; Washing the stored sprout vegetables with oxygen-activated water with an ozone concentration in the range of 1 ppm to 10 ppm and then immersing them using the same oxygen-activated water; A step of cultivating the submerged sprout vegetables by dividing them into cultivation trays. a) Cultivation for 4 to 5 days by pouring the air activated water into the sprout vegetables 1 to 10 times a day with an ozone concentration in the range of 0.1 ppm to 1 ppm. and b) the undissolved air active species It provides a method of cultivating fresh sprout vegetables using microplasma active species, including the step of introducing the ozone concentration into the sprout cultivation space for 1 to 48 hours in the range of 1 to 50 ppm.

Description

Method for producing fresh-cut sprout vegetables using microplasma active species}

The present invention relates to a method of growing sprout vegetables, and in detail, proposes a new method of improving storage and functionality by using microplasma active species in the storage, soaking, and cultivation process of sprout vegetables.

Agriculture is a very important industrial sector responsible for providing our food. Agriculture requires a lot of labor after planting, weeding, and harvesting. In the past, it was done manually and required a lot of labor, but as it is gradually becoming mechanized, labor has been greatly reduced. While agricultural technology is advancing in terms of equipment to increase the quality and quantity of the food industry, production technology for crop management and increased yield is also continuously evolving.

In general, agricultural products are difficult to store for a long time after harvest, and their freshness or taste and nutrition deteriorate during refrigeration and distribution, so their prices fluctuate significantly depending on the season. In order to produce highly marketable agricultural products, they are grown and harvested from the first germinated seeds. A high level of management is required during the process. In particular, storage and functionality of various vegetables determine consumer preference, so specialized cultivation technology is required for each crop.

Sprout vegetables are young vegetables with 1 to 3 main leaves, also called sprout vegetables or sprout oil vegetables. In addition to the typical bean sprouts and bean sprouts, sprout vegetables include radish, turnip, buckwheat, Chinese cabbage, cabbage, broccoli, rapeseed, multichae (vitamins), bok choy, The types of perilla seeds, corn, safflower, chives, red cabbage, crowbar, beets, and peanuts are becoming increasingly diverse. It was mainly used for decoration, but since the mid-2000s, as its various benefits became known, sprout vegetables began to be used mainly in bibimbap and salads. Recently, sprout vegetables are being used not only in drinks, noodles, and sauces, but also in various foods.

Sprouts contain a lot of nutrients for their own growth, and in particular, they contain 3 to 4 times more minerals and vitamins than full-grown vegetables. In addition, it is richer in antioxidants and fiber than forts, and has various benefits, including preventing the decrease in secretion of various hormones that keep our bodies healthy. In particular, vitamins A, B, C, and E are reported, and the vitamin content increases 20-fold within a few days after germination.

These sprout vegetables have poor storage properties compared to adult vegetables and require special management during the post-harvest distribution process. In order to improve the marketability of sprout vegetables and increase yield, it is necessary to apply cultivation technology specialized for sprout vegetables during the seed management and cultivation process, unlike existing cultivation methods.

Sterilization and cleaning technology using ozone has been known for a long time, and many technologies for sterilizing and improving the storage of food have also been known, for example, vegetable storage method using ozone gas (patent application 10-2001-0005251), ozone water There are methods for pre-processing vegetables (patent application 10-2012-0042529) and hydroponic cultivation of ginseng using ozonated water (patent application 10-2014-0015049).

This conventional technology simply partially applies ozone gas or ozonated water to the cultivation process of vegetables, etc., and in order to improve the storage of highly functional plants such as sprout vegetables and improve the original functionality of sprout vegetables, the proposed technology is needed. There are limits to its application as is.

The present invention was created under the above-described technical background, and the purpose of the present invention is to provide a new cultivation method specialized for sprout vegetables.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new technology that can specialize the process at each stage of the storage and cultivation process of sprout vegetables and improve the storage and functionality of sprout vegetables.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of growing safe and healthy sprout vegetables by applying air active species and oxygen active species generated by microplasma to the production stage of sprout vegetables.

Other purposes and technical features of the present invention will be presented in more detail in the detailed description below.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is a step of generating plasma active species and activated water, a) generating gaseous air active species and oxygen active species with a microplasma generator, and b) generated air active species and oxygen. Activated species are dissolved in water using a microbubble pump to generate air-activated water and oxygen-activated water and stored in a tank, respectively; c) undissolved air-activated species that are not dissolved by the microbubble pump are stored in a separate storage container; A storage step of storing sprouted vegetables in a storage space in a seed state and injecting gaseous air active species into the storage space at an ozone concentration in the range of 0.1 to 1 ppm; Washing the stored sprouts with oxygen-activated water at an ozone concentration of 1 ppm to 10 ppm and then immersing them in the same oxygen-activated water; A step of cultivating the submerged sprout vegetables by dividing them into cultivation trays. a) Cultivation for 4 to 5 days by pouring the air activated water into the sprout vegetables 1 to 10 times a day with an ozone concentration in the range of 0.1 ppm to 1 ppm. and b) the undissolved air active species It provides a method of cultivating fresh sprouts using microplasma active species, including the step of introducing the ozone concentration into the sprout cultivation space for 1 to 48 hours in the range of 1 to 50 ppm.

In the present invention, the step of sterilizing the sprouts immersed in the sprout cultivation step with ozonated water dissolved in water may be further included before dispensing the sprouts immersed in the sprout vegetables into the cultivation tray.

In addition, in the present invention, the undissolved air active species In the step of introducing into the sprout vegetable cultivation space, undissolved air active species can be introduced into the cultivation space for 10 minutes to 10 hours with an ozone concentration in the range of 0.1 to 10 ppm.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a production method specialized for vegetables by using air active species and oxygen active species.

Through the production method of the present invention, air-activated species, air-activated water, and oxygen-activated water are applied differently at each stage of sprout vegetable cultivation to improve storage, and functionality is improved by providing optimal conditions for applying stress to sprout vegetables to be cultivated.

In addition, according to the present invention, the undissolved plasma air active species generated by microplasma are not destroyed and discharged, but the undissolved plasma air active species are used in the sprout vegetable cultivation process to improve storage and functionality.

Figure 1 is a flow chart showing the sprout vegetable production process according to the present invention.
Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing a microplasma active species generation system for producing sprout vegetables.
Figure 3 is a graph showing the comparative results of microbial analysis of ozonated sprout vegetables.
Figure 4 is a graph showing the comparison results of changes in functionality of ozonated sprout vegetables.
Figures 5a and 5b are photos showing sprout vegetable seeds that have been washed and soaked after storage and sprout vegetables that have completed cultivation.
Figure 6 is a graph showing the results of microbial analysis during the sprout vegetable cultivation process.
Figure 7 is a graph showing changes in functionality during the sprout vegetable cultivation process.
Figure 8 is a graph showing the effect of microplasma activated water on the total polyphenol content of sprout vegetables.
Figures 9a and 9b are graphs showing the effect of activated water on the antioxidant activity of sprout vegetables.
Figure 10 is a graph showing the effect of microplasma vapor phase active species on the total polyphenol content of sprout vegetables.
Figures 11a and 11b are graphs showing the effect of gas phase active species on the antioxidant activity of sprout vegetables.

The present invention relates to a method of growing sprout vegetables, and proposes a new method of improving storage and functionality by using active species generated by microplasma during the cultivation process.

Sprout vegetables, which are young vegetables with 1 to 3 leaves that have just sprouted from seeds, include radish, turnip, Chinese cabbage, cabbage, broccoli, rapeseed, multi-colored cabbage, bok choy, perilla, corn, safflower, buckwheat, and chives. It is being utilized.

The efficacy of each vegetable varies. Radish sprouts are effective in reducing fever and swelling, and broccoli sprouts are famous for their cancer prevention and anti-aging effects. Buckwheat sprouts, which are effective in treating high blood pressure and obesity, have recently emerged, and mung bean sprouts, which reduce fever and blood pressure, are also receiving a lot of attention. Cabbage sprouts are good for the stomach and are effective in improving constipation, multi-colored sprouts are good for preventing night blindness, and perilla sprouts are effective in children's development and postpartum cooking. Safflower sprouts are effective in strengthening bones and improving blood pressure, while pea sprouts are good for improving diabetes and restoring physical strength.

Sprouts contain plenty of good nutrients, and in particular, the content of minerals and vitamins is three to four times higher than that of fully grown vegetables. Therefore, it is used in a variety of ways in restaurants that provide healthy food, and depending on the Korean food garnish culture, it is also used for unique servings.

In order to obtain sufficient nutrition and efficacy of sprout vegetables, improve cultivation efficiency and distribution, and double functionality, the present invention uses ozone-activated species (radical ), and by proposing a production process specialized for sprout vegetables, we aim to increase the value of sprout vegetables and increase consumer usability.

The present invention separately generates air active species containing nitrogen active species and oxygen active species containing only oxygen using microplasma, and uses each active species in gaseous or liquid form for each of the storage, washing, immersion, and cultivation processes of sprout vegetables. It provides a new production method that is differentially applied to each stage. In addition, it provides an ozone generation system specialized for the production of sprout vegetables, and through this, it presents a process specialized for sprout vegetables, thereby improving the storage of sprout vegetables, increasing the distribution period, and improving functionality to further increase quality.

Specifically, in terms of differentiation of systems and processes using ozone, rather than a simple cultivation method using ozonated water, oxygen active species and nitrogen active species suitable for each cultivation stage are used in gas or liquid form, and the main plasma active species is oxygen. Sprout vegetables are produced using oxygen active species with a concentration of 20 to 99.9% and air active species using general air.

Figure 1 is a flowchart showing the production process of sprout vegetables according to the present invention, in which storage, washing, soaking, and cultivation processes are applied to the cultivation of sprout vegetables. To change the process of applying ozone to sprout vegetables, air activated species and oxygen activated species are generated using a microplasma generator using a system described later (step S110), and air activated water and oxygen activated water are prepared using a microbubble pump. (Step S112).

Sprout vegetables are stored in a storage space in the form of seeds, and gaseous air active species are injected into the storage space at an ozone concentration of 0.1 to 1 ppm (step S120). The storage space can be an airtight warehouse or a storage tank with a separate cover, and is preferably equipped with refrigeration facilities. Air active species generated by microplasma in the storage stage can use the air in the storage space as is. When storing sprouts, gaseous air-active species are introduced into the storage space, and a relatively low concentration of ozone is used to maintain the range of 0.1 to 1 ppm, the storage temperature is maintained in the range of 0 to 10℃, and the relative humidity is maintained in the range of 50 to 50. Maintain 80% coverage. When growing sprout vegetables, seeds are stored and used throughout the year. By adding air-active species generated by the microplasma of the present invention during the storage stage, the germination rate can be increased and antibacterial status can be maintained. The storage period may vary depending on the temperature and humidity of the storage space and the concentration of ozone gas, an airborne active species that generates microplasma, and can be stored for at least one year.

Before starting cultivation, the sprout vegetables in the seed state are washed with oxygen-activated water with an ozone concentration in the range of 1 ppm to 10 ppm, and then immersed using the same oxygen-activated water (step S130). For washing and immersion, oxygen activated species ozone water (oxygen activated water) is applied, in which microplasma-generating oxygen activated species are dissolved in water using a microbubble pump. Oxygen gas with a concentration of 20 to 99.9% is used to reduce the ozone concentration to 1 ppm to 10 ppm. Maintain within the range of Wash 1 to 10 times while maintaining the washing water temperature at 1 to 30℃, and wash within 24 hours each time. Once washing is completed, the sprouts are immersed using the same oxygen activated water while maintaining the same ozone concentration range, and the immersion time is maintained in the range of 1 to 10 hours.

The soaked sprout vegetables are placed in cultivation trays and cultivated using ozonated water. In the present invention, in the sprout vegetable cultivation step, before or after dispensing the immersed sprout vegetables into the cultivation tray, a step of sterilizing the air activated species generated by microplasma with ozonated water dissolved in water can be performed in advance. there is.

The cultivation stage is largely divided into two stages. First, ozonated water (air activated water), which is an air active species generating microplasma dissolved in water using a microbubble pump, is applied to achieve an ozone concentration in the range of 0.1 ppm to 1 ppm, 1 day per day. Cultivate for 4 to 5 days by watering the sprouts ~ 10 times (step S140).

The ozone water concentration can vary for each cultivation day in the range of 1ppm to 10ppm. For example, relatively high concentration ozone water is used on the first day, low concentration ozone water is applied on the 2nd to 3rd day, and then 4 to 5 days. You can pour high-concentration ozonated water into your sprouts again every day. The dosing time is maintained between 1 and 60 minutes.

After cultivation using air-activated water, 1 to 2 days before harvest, undissolved air-activated species remaining in the gaseous state without being dissolved are removed using a microbuffle pump. A further step is taken to add ozone to the sprout cultivation space for 1 to 48 hours at an ozone concentration in the range of 1 to 50 ppm (step S150). By introducing undissolved microplasma air-active species into the cultivation space at the end of the cultivation process, functionality can be improved without interfering with the sensory or growth of sprout vegetables (polyphenol content increased by 5 to 30%). Cultivation in the present invention Considering the type of sprout vegetable and the efficiency of the cultivation process, the above undissolved air activated species were used. In the step of introducing undissolved air-active species into the sprout vegetable cultivation space, undissolved air-active species may only be introduced into the cultivation space for 10 minutes to 10 hours with an ozone concentration in the range of 0.1 to 10 ppm.

Previously, various plasmas were used to generate ozone gas or ozone water, but in this invention, microplasma is used to generate active species. In terms of the system for this, it includes a microplasma generator, air pump, oxygen generator, microbubble pump, storage tank for gaseous or liquid active species, supply line for gaseous or liquid active species, injection system, storage tank for undissolved plasma active species, etc. can do. Figure 2 schematically shows the microplasma active species generation system for sprout vegetable production and the state of utilization of active species between processes.

In generating plasma active species and activated water, air and oxygen are supplied from an air pump that supplies air or an oxygen generator that supplies oxygen, respectively, and gas-phase air active species or gas-phase activated oxygen species are generated with a microplasma generator. . Gas-phase air-activated species or gas-phase oxygen-activated species can be stored in separate storage tanks, and the generated air-activated species or oxygen-activated species are dissolved in water using a microbubble pump to generate air-activated water and oxygen-activated water. Therefore, each can be stored in a separate tank. Undissolved air-active species that are not dissolved by the microbubble pump are stored in a separate storage container and used in the final step of the sprout vegetable cultivation process.

Undissolved air active species can also be used in the sprout vegetable storage process, and for this purpose, the microplasma-generating active species generation system for sprout vegetable cultivation of the present invention is a device for storing and circulating undissolved active species in the gaseous state when dissolving the active species using a microbuffle pump. Additional devices may be included.

Preliminary testing of storability and functionality

A preliminary experiment was conducted to confirm in advance whether the specialized cultivation process of the present invention affects the sensory and growth of sprout vegetables and whether it is effective in improving storage or functionality.

Radish sprouts sold on the market were purchased and the microbial and functional changes in sprouts treated with air-active species ozone gas were confirmed, and sprouts not treated with air-active species were used as a control. The air active species treatment conditions were maintained at an ozone concentration of 10 ppm for 30 min, and were stored in refrigeration before the experiment, and refrigeration was maintained for different reaction times for each ozone-treated treatment (see Table 1). To ensure the accuracy of the experiment, the experiment was repeated three times for each treatment group.

For quality inspection, the number of general bacteria was measured according to the Food Code, and the change in total polyphenol count was measured for each control and treatment group. The results of the experiment regarding the number of general bacteria are shown in Table 2 below, and the average value of the repeated experiments is shown in Figure 3. In addition, the results of measuring the total number of polyphenols as functional ingredients for the control and treatment groups are shown in Figure 4.

Overall, it was confirmed that the sprout vegetables according to the embodiment of the present invention had a low number of microorganisms and improved functionality. In particular, under the condition of treatment with 10 ppm ozone gas for 30 minutes and then refrigerated for 10 hours, the general bacterial count was about 2.1 Log CFU/g. There was a decrease, and the total polyphenol value increased by about 30%. This is believed to have shown an effect of reducing microorganisms due to the occurrence of antibacterial action due to the increase in functional ingredients through air active species treatment, and when applying the specialized process of the present invention during the cultivation of sprout vegetables, storability and functionality are maintained without significant problems with sensory and growth. It is expected to improve.

Example

a. Cultivation of radish sprout vegetables

Radish sprouts were prepared as sprouts, and seed-like radish sprouts were stored by adding microplasma-generating air-active species at a concentration of 0.1 ppm ozone.

Radish sprouts in the seed state being stored were washed five times for 15 minutes with high concentration oxygen activated water of 2 ppm in which microplasma-generating oxygen active species were dissolved, and then immersed in the same oxygen activated water and maintained for 5 hours. Figure 5a is a photograph showing sprout vegetable seeds that have been washed and soaked after storage, and it can be seen that some seeds have germinated.

After washing and soaking, the radish sprouts were sterilized with high-concentration ozonated water and placed in cultivation trays. As part of the cultivation process, the distributed sprout vegetables were watered with 2ppm high-concentration air activated water on the first day. After the 2nd day until the 4th day, low concentration air activated water of 0.1 or more to less than 1 ppm was applied and watered. On the 5th and 6th days, 1 ppm air activated water was administered. On the last 7th day, instead of injecting air activated water, undissolved gaseous air activated species were injected into the cultivation space for 10 hours at an ozone concentration of 1 ppm. The sprout vegetables that had completed cultivation (see Figure 5b) were harvested and packaged in containers.

b. Testing for improving functionality and storage during the cultivation process

The storage and functionality of the sprout vegetables according to the above examples were confirmed by cultivation process. Storage was conducted in the same manner as the preliminary experiment described above for changes in the number of microorganisms, and functionality for changes in the number of total polyphenols. As a control, sprout vegetables (radish sprouts) were used without using active microplasma species or activated water during the cultivation process.

The results of each test are shown in Tables 3 and 4, Figure 6 shows the results of microbial analysis during the sprout vegetable cultivation process, and Figure 7 shows changes in functionality during the sprout vegetable cultivation process.

During the cultivation process, treatment with air-activated water and undissolved air-active species gas treatment resulted in a higher yield than the control group. It was confirmed that the number of microorganisms decreased or increased depending on the date of cultivation. In particular, it was confirmed that the number of microorganisms was maintained lower than that of the control even in the packaging state after completion of cultivation, and that storage was improved. In addition, the total polyphenol count was higher than that of the control, indicating improved functionality.

Through these experimental results, it was confirmed that by applying the specialized process of the present invention, storability and distribution can be improved by lowering the microorganisms of sprout vegetables, and quality and marketability can be improved by improving functionality.

Analysis of the effect of microplasma activated water on the metabolic process of sprout vegetables

Determine the effect of microplasma activated water (PAW) used in the sprout vegetable cultivation process on the metabolic process of sprout vegetables, and whether it leads to improved storage (reduction of microbial contamination) and functionality (antioxidation) of sprout vegetables. was analyzed.

Radish sprouts harvested after soaking the seeds and growing them in a growth chamber with a temperature control of 25°C for 7 days were used. During the radish sprout cultivation period, 1.5 liters of microplasma activated water was sprayed once a day, and the ozone concentration of the PAW sprayed on the radish sprouts was 2.0 ppm. As a control, radish sprouts supplied only with tap water were used. Radish sprouts grown for 7 days were harvested, freeze-dried, and used in experiments.

The external effect of PAW on plant growth was evaluated by measuring the total length of radish shoots and the chlorophyll concentration in leaves. Total phenol content was measured using the method using Folin-Ciocalteu's reagent, and antioxidant activity was evaluated by DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging ability. did.

a, Effect of PAW on plant growth

PAW (ozone concentration 2.0ppm) treatment did not significantly affect changes in the external appearance of plants, and as shown in Table 1, there was no significant difference in plant growth length and total chlorophyll content when treated with activated water (PAW) compared to the control. .

b. Effect of PAW on the production of secondary metabolites in plants

To confirm the effect of PAW on the production of secondary metabolites in plants, the total phenol compounds (TPC) of radish sprouts treated with PAW were measured. The TPC content of PAW-treated radish sprouts increased by about 9.6% compared to the control (see Figure 8).

c. Antioxidant activity of PAW-treated plants

As a result of examining the antioxidant activity of PAW-treated radish sprouts in terms of DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging ability, the DPPH scavenging ability of the PAW-treated sample increased by 2.8% and ABTS scavenging ability by about 13.0% compared to the control. (See Figures 9a and 9b)

The results of Figures 8 and 9a and 9b are interpreted to indicate that PAW treatment temporarily induces oxidative stress in plants, and that plants produce TPC, a secondary metabolite, as a defensive measure to counteract this, and has antioxidant properties. It is analyzed that the increase in TPC influenced the increase in antioxidant activity.

Analysis of the impact of microplasma active species gas treatment

An experiment was conducted to determine the effect of microplasma active species ozone gas treatment on the production of secondary metabolites in sprout vegetables. Purchase commercially available radish sprouts, treat them with microplasma ozone gas (O ₃ , concentration 10ppm) for 30 minutes, store the radish sprouts in a refrigerator at 4℃, and collect and freeze samples over time (10, 24, 40 hours). After drying, it was used for analysis. TPC and antioxidant activity measurements were the same as before.

a. Impact on TPC content

After 10 hours of ozone gas treatment, it increased by 34.8%, and after 49 hours, it increased by 21.5% (see Figure 10).

b. Effect on antioxidant activity

When the antioxidant activity was measured by the DPPH method, compared to the control, the ozone gas-treated sample increased by 35.5% after 10 hours of low-temperature storage and by 10.1% after 48 hours (FIG. 11a). In addition, when the antioxidant activity was measured by the ABTS method, compared to the control, the ozone gas treated sample increased by 27.3% after 10 hours of low-temperature storage and by 10.2% after 48 hours (Figure 11b).

Overall, radish sprouts treated with ozone gas induced TPC production as a means to overcome oxidative stress, and as a result, it was analyzed that antioxidant activity was enhanced.

Through analysis of the effects of microplasma activated water and gaseous active species on sprout vegetables, it was confirmed that the cultivation method of the present invention can produce sprout vegetables with excellent storability and high antioxidant ability. Through this invention, it is expected that it will be possible to expand the marketability and quality competitiveness of sprout vegetables, provide healthy food to the public, and contribute technically to the development of related industries, such as by applying it to the establishment of a sprout vegetable smart farm.

Although the present invention has been illustratively described above through preferred embodiments, the present invention is not limited to these specific embodiments and can be used in various forms within the scope of the technical idea presented in the present invention, specifically the scope of the patent claims. It may be modified, changed, or improved.

Claims (3)

A step of generating plasma activated species and activated water,
a) Generate gaseous air active species and oxygen active species with a microplasma generator,
b) The generated air activated species and oxygen activated species are dissolved in water using a microbubble pump to generate air activated water and oxygen activated water and stored in a tank, respectively.
c) Store undissolved air activated species that have not been dissolved by the microbubble pump in a separate storage container,
A storage step of storing sprouted vegetables in a storage space in a seed state and injecting gaseous air active species into the storage space at an ozone concentration in the range of 0.1 to 1 ppm;
A step of washing stored sprout vegetables with oxygen-activated water with an ozone concentration in the range of 1 ppm to 10 ppm and then immersing them using the same oxygen-activated water;
A step of cultivating the soaked sprout vegetables in a cultivation tray,
a) Cultivate the air activated water for 4 to 5 days by injecting the air activated water into the sprouts 1 to 10 times a day with an ozone concentration in the range of 0.1 ppm to 1 ppm,
b) The above undissolved air active species Including the step of introducing into the sprout vegetable cultivation space for 1 to 48 hours at an ozone concentration in the range of 1 to 50 ppm.
Method for cultivating fresh sprout vegetables using microplasma active species.
According to paragraph 1,
Using microplasma active species, characterized in that it further comprises the step of sterilizing the air active species generated by microplasma with ozonated water dissolved in water before dispensing the sprout vegetables immersed in the sprout vegetable cultivation step into the cultivation tray. How to grow fresh sprout vegetables.
According to paragraph 1,
The undissolved air activated species Cultivation of fresh sprout vegetables using microplasma active species, characterized in that in the step of introducing undissolved air-active species into the sprout vegetable cultivation space, the undissolved air-active species are introduced into the cultivation space for 10 minutes to 10 hours at an ozone concentration of 0.1 to 10 ppm. method.