Savoy cabbage
(From Brassica oleracea var. sabauda, family Brassicaceae)

Description
Savoy cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. sabauda) is a cabbage type with crinkled, blistered, loosely packed leaves forming a softer, less compact head than white/green head cabbage.
Colour ranges from light to dark green, sometimes with bluish tones. The flavour is mild, sweet-vegetal and slightly aromatic, generally less pungent than other brassicas.
It is eaten raw (salads, slaws) but is especially used cooked in soups, stews, braised dishes, stuffed cabbage rolls and traditional winter recipes.

Indicative nutritional values per 100 g
(raw Savoy cabbage, edible portion)

• Energy: 25–35 kcal

• Carbohydrates: 4–6 g

  • sugars: 2–3 g

• Fibre: 2.5–4 g

• Protein: 2–3 g

• Lipids: 0.2–0.5 g

  • SFA (first occurrence – saturated fatty acids): ≈0.1 g (excess SFA in the diet is associated with higher cardiovascular risk, but the contribution from Savoy cabbage is minimal)

  • MUFA: traces

  • PUFA: traces

  • TFA: not naturally present

• Vitamins: vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, small amounts of vitamin B6, carotenoids (mainly lutein)

• Minerals: potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, traces of iron and manganese

Values vary with variety, soil, climate and processing (raw, cooked, stewed).

Key constituents

• Glucosinolates typical of Brassicaceae

• Isothiocyanates and other sulphur compounds (formed from glucosinolates)

• Vitamin C

• Vitamin K

• Folate

• Carotenoids (e.g. lutein)

• Dietary fibre (cellulose, hemicellulose, pectins)

• Minerals: K, Ca, Mg, P

• Phenolic compounds with moderate antioxidant activity

Production process

1. Cultivation

   • Cool- to temperate-season crop, suited to autumn–winter production.

   • Grown in rotation to reduce soil-borne diseases.

2. Harvesting

   • Heads are cut at the stem when formed but not overly compact.

   • Outer damaged or yellow leaves are removed in the field or packing house.

3. Selection and washing

   • Removal of foreign matter, soil and defective leaves.

   • Washing with potable water, optionally with authorised sanitisers for fresh-cut lines.

4. Cutting and preparation

   • Whole heads, wedges, whole leaves (for cabbage rolls), strips or shreds for soups and ready-to-cook mixes.

5. Optional industrial processing

   • Freezing: blanching, cooling, IQF or block freezing and packaging.

   • Pasteurisation/sterilisation: in ready soups and cooked vegetable bases.

   • Fermentation: possible but less common than for white cabbage (used in mixed sauerkraut, kimchi-style products).

6. Packaging

   • Whole heads in crates or loose.

   • Cut products in bags or trays, often under modified atmosphere (MAP).

All steps under GMP/HACCP.

Physical properties

• Appearance: loosely formed head with crinkled, blistered leaves.

• Colour: light to dark green, sometimes with bluish tinge depending on variety and maturity.

• Texture: crisp and juicy when raw; soft but still structured after short cooking or braising.

• Moisture: around 90–92%.

Sensory and technological properties

• Flavour: mild, slightly sweet and vegetal, less strong and sulphurous than some other cabbages.

• Aroma: fresh, herbaceous; light sulphur notes that intensify with long cooking.

• Technological behaviour:

  • large, flexible leaves are ideal for stuffed cabbage rolls;

  • good performance in stews, soups and braised dishes;

  • suitable for pan-frying and sautéing as a side dish;

  • shreds easily for fresh-cut mixes and frozen vegetables;

  • releases more sulphur volatiles and stronger odour if overcooked.

Food applications

• Domestic and foodservice use:

  • minestrone and vegetable soups,

  • braised Savoy cabbage with meat or legumes,

  • stuffed Savoy cabbage rolls (meat or plant-based fillings),

  • sautéed or stir-fried as a side dish.

• Industrial products:

  • fresh and frozen vegetable mixes,

  • ready-to-eat or chilled soups and stews,

  • fillings for ready meals (dumplings, pasta, stuffed dishes).

• Fermented or mixed preparations:

  • component of mixed sauerkraut or kimchi-type products,

  • acidified vegetable mixes.

Nutrition & health

• Low energy density, suitable for low-calorie diets.

• Good source of vitamin C, contributing to antioxidant defence as part of a varied diet.

• Provides vitamin K, important for blood clotting (intake should be considered in patients on vitamin K–sensitive anticoagulant therapy, following medical advice).

• Supplies dietary fibre, which supports intestinal regularity when included in a balanced diet.

• Contains glucosinolates and their degradation products (isothiocyanates), which are of nutritional and scientific interest.

• May cause bloating and gas in individuals sensitive to FODMAPs or sulphur-containing compounds.

Portion note

• Typical serving of cooked Savoy cabbage (stewed, sautéed, in soup):

  • 80–100 g per person as vegetable portion.

• In mixed products (soups, frozen blends):

  • usually 10–40% of total weight, depending on the recipe.

Allergens & intolerances

• Savoy cabbage is not a major allergen under EU rules.

• Possible cross-reactions in individuals allergic to other Brassicaceae (e.g. cauliflower, broccoli, white cabbage).

• May cause gastrointestinal discomfort (bloating, gas) in FODMAP-sensitive individuals or those sensitive to sulphur compounds.

• In processed foods, other allergens in the recipe (e.g. milk, gluten, soy) must be taken into account.

Storage & shelf-life

• Whole fresh heads:

  • Refrigerated at 0–4 °C with high relative humidity;

  • typical shelf-life 1–3 weeks, depending on initial freshness.

• Cut / fresh-cut (MAP) products:

  • Packaged in bags or trays under MAP;

  • indicative shelf-life 3–7 days at 0–4 °C.

• Frozen Savoy cabbage:

  • stored at –18 °C;

  • shelf-life 12–24 months.

• Cooked/pasteurised products (soups, ready meals):

  • shelf-life depends on treatment (from a few weeks refrigerated to several months if sterilised in cans or pouches).

Main issues are wilting and dehydration, as well as discolouration or strong odours if poorly stored.

Safety & regulatory

• Controls required for:

  • pesticide residues (within legal maximum residue limits),

  • heavy metals (e.g. cadmium, lead) depending on soil and irrigation water,

  • pathogenic microorganisms (Listeria, Salmonella, STEC) particularly in fresh-cut and ready-to-eat lines.

• For fermented products:

  • monitoring of pH, salt content, lactic acid bacteria counts, and absence of pathogens.

• Production and processing should follow GMP/HACCP, with full traceability throughout the supply chain.

Labeling

• Typical names:

  • “Savoy cabbage”,

  • “Savoy cabbage, shredded / sliced”.

• In compound foods, Savoy cabbage must appear in the ingredient list in descending order of weight.

• For fresh-cut products: indication of use-by date, storage conditions and any relevant handling instructions (e.g. “washed and ready to cook”).

• In processed products: declaration of all additives (antioxidants, acidifiers, preservatives) and allergens in the recipe.

Troubleshooting

• Wilting and leaf browning:

  • storage temperature too high or humidity too low → improve refrigeration and relative humidity; reduce storage times.

• Very strong sulphur odour on cooking:

  • cooking time too long or at excessive temperature → use shorter or gentler cooking (steaming, light braising).

• Loss of crunchiness in fresh-cut products:

  • excessive condensation and prolonged storage → optimise drainage, packaging design and cold chain management.

• Texture defects after freezing (mushy on reheating):

  • inadequate blanching or freezing conditions → optimise blanching time/temperature and freezing process; avoid thaw–refreeze cycles.

Sustainability & supply chain

• Savoy cabbage is a relatively robust crop with good yield in temperate climates.

• Key environmental aspects:

  • water use,

  • plant protection products,

  • soil management and erosion control.

• Improvements through:

  • integrated pest management and precision agriculture,

  • crop rotations with legumes and other species,

  • optimised irrigation.

• In industrial processing:

  • washing water and process effluents are monitored (e.g. via BOD/COD);

  • vegetable by-products (outer leaves, cores) can be valorised as feed, compost or biomass.

Main INCI functions (cosmetics)
(often listed generically as “Brassica Oleracea Leaf Extract”; Savoy-specific naming is rare)

• Antioxidant (thanks to vitamin C and phenolic compounds)

• Skin conditioning

• Mild soothing and purifying action in botanical formulations

Used mainly in natural or vegetable-themed cosmetic products.

Conclusion
Savoy cabbage is a versatile, nutritionally interesting winter vegetable, widely used in traditional dishes and industrial preparations.
Its combination of low calorie content, vitamin C, vitamin K, fibre and glucosinolates makes it suitable for modern diets focused on both taste and nutritional profile.
When produced in controlled supply chains under GMP/HACCP and stored correctly, Savoy cabbage represents a safe, stable and high-quality ingredient for home cooking, foodservice and food industry applications.

Mini-glossary

• SFA – Saturated fatty acids: fats that should be moderated in the diet; Savoy cabbage contains very small amounts.

• MUFA – Monounsaturated fatty acids: generally neutral or beneficial fats, present only in traces in Savoy cabbage.

• PUFA – Polyunsaturated fatty acids: include essential fatty acids, present only in minimal amounts in this vegetable.

• TFA – Trans fatty acids: industrial TFAs are linked with negative health effects; they are not naturally present in Savoy cabbage.

• GMP/HACCP – Good Manufacturing Practices / Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points, systems ensuring hygiene, safety and quality in food production.

• BOD/COD – Biological / Chemical Oxygen Demand, indicators of the organic and chemical load of wastewater and its environmental impact.

• FODMAPs – Fermentable Oligo-, Di-, Monosaccharides And Polyols; short-chain carbohydrates that can cause digestive symptoms in sensitive individuals.

References__________________________________________________________________________

Turaev, S., Ashurov, S., Khaydarova, S., Akhrorova, M., Ikromova, D., & Shodiyeva, N. (2025). Savoy cabbage (Brassica Oleracea Convar. Capitata var. Sabauda) varieties study and introduction. In BIO Web of Conferences (Vol. 173, p. 01037). EDP Sciences.

Abstract. In recent years, in the Republic of Uzbekistan, comprehensive measures have been implemented to ensure food security of the population, to fully satisfy their needs for vegetable products, and to expand the range of vegetable products. As a result, the introduction of new non-traditional vegetable crops for our people has been achieved in recent years. However, savoy cabbage has not been introduced, and insufficient attention has been paid to scientific research on the study of varieties of this non-traditional vegetable crop, the creation of new varieties and the improvement of cultivation technology. This article shows the results of the research aimed at selecting varieties suitable for growing in the open field in the future by studying savoy cabbage varieties, as well as the preparation of seedlings, stem height, number of leaves per bush, cabbage ripening day, cabbage shape, cabbage weight and diameter, yield. information about.

Kim, H., Choi, P., Park, M., Hwang, B. H., & Kim, D. H. (2025). Phenotypic, transcriptomic, and metabolic comparison between white cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) and savoy cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. sabauda). Horticulture, Environment, and Biotechnology, 1-17.

Abstract. Plant leaves are one of the most eminent features of plants. After emerging from the shoot apical meristem, they produce diverse leaf shapes in different species, determined by leaf morphogenesis. Leaves with different morphologies might have different light energy utilization efficiencies and it might result in yield differences. Thus, it is important to study the genes affecting the leaf morphology in plants, particularly leafy vegetable such as cabbage. Savoy cabbage has a unique, bumpy leaf surface compared to other cabbages. However, study on bumpy leaf surface development of savoy cabbage was not explored so far. In this study, to reveal molecular details related to the bumpy leaf phenotype of savoy cabbage, we conducted transcriptomic analysis between white cabbage (with flat leaf surface) and savoy cabbage (with bumpy leaf surface). KNOX family genes like BoKNAT1 and BoKNAT4 were isolated from the transcriptome analysis as putative candidate genes for bumpy leaf surface of savoy cabbage. In addition, KEGG analysis indicated that secondary metabolisms are significantly affected between savoy and white cabbage. Examination of secondary metabolites such as camalexin (defensive compound) and glucosinolates (anti-cancer substances) between white and savoy cabbage indicated that savoy cabbage more accumulates these functional secondary metabolites than white cabbage. This study found that savoy cabbage has higher amounts of functional metabolites. In addition, our comparative transcriptome dataset provides the foundation to understand the molecular details underlying bumpy leaves found in the savoy cabbage plants.

Barber, A., & Müller, C. (2021). Drought and subsequent soil flooding affect the growth and metabolism of savoy cabbage. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 22(24), 13307.

Abstract. An important factor of current climate change is water availability, with both droughts and flooding becoming more frequent. Effects of individual stresses on plant traits are well studied, although less is known about the impacts of sequences of different stresses. We used savoy cabbage to study the consequences of control conditions (well-watered) versus continuous drought versus drought followed by soil flooding and a potential recovery phase on shoot growth and leaf metabolism. Under continuous drought, plants produced less than half of the shoot biomass compared to controls, but had a >20% higher water use efficiency. In the soil flooding treatment, plants exhibited the poorest growth performance, particularly after the “recovery” phase. The carbon-to-nitrogen ratio was at least twice as high, whereas amino acid concentrations were lowest in leaves of controls compared to stressed plants. Some glucosinolates, characteristic metabolites of Brassicales, showed lower concentrations, especially in plants of the flooding treatment. Stress-specific investment into different amino acids, many of them acting as osmolytes, as well as glucosinolates, indicate that these metabolites play distinct roles in the responses of plants to different water availability conditions. To reduce losses in crop production, we need to understand plant responses to dynamic climate change scenarios.

Karg, C. A., Schilling, C. M., Allmendinger, L., & Moser, S. (2019). Isolation, characterization, and antioxidative activity of a dioxobilin-type phylloxanthobilin from savoy cabbage. Journal of Porphyrins and Phthalocyanines, 23(07n08), 881-888.

Abstract. The degradation of the green pigment chlorophyll in plants is known to yield phyllobilins as highly abundant linear tetrapyrroles. Recently, a split path of the degradation pathway has been discovered, leading to so-called dioxobilin-type (or type-II) phyllobilins. The first characterized type-II phyllobilin was colorless featuring four deconjugated pyrrole units. Similar to the type-I branch, for which yellow oxidation products of the colorless phyllobilins – the type-I phylloxanthobilins – are known, a type-II phylloxanthobilin has recently been characterized from senescent leaves of grapevine. Type-I phylloxanthobilins appear to be actively produced in the plant, are known to possess interesting chemical properties, and were shown to act as potent antioxidants that can protect cells from oxidative stress. Here we report the isolation and structural characterization of a type-II phylloxanthobilin from de-greened leaves of savoy cabbage, which turned out to be structurally closely related to bilirubin. Bilirubin is known to possess high antioxidative activity; in addition, savoy cabbage is considered to promote health benefits due to its high content in antioxidants. We therefore investigated the in vitro antioxidative potential of the newly identified type-II phylloxanthobilin using two different approaches, both of which revealed an even higher antioxidative activity for the type-II phylloxanthobilin from savoy cabbage compared to bilirubin.