Parsnips are a traditional food in many countries and have the advantage over other vegetables in that they do not readily decay post harvest. Storage of parsnips at low temperatures allows a source of food throughout the winter, and for this reason they are also often used as a source of energy for farmed animals. However, the carbohydrate content of parsnips changes considerably during storage even in cool temperatures. The predominant sugar in parsnips is sucrose and this accounts for roughly 8 to 10 % of total carbohydrate. Lower amounts of glucose (0.4 to 0.4 %) and fructose (0.1 to 0.3 %) are also present. However, the sugar content does vary significantly with the harvest time and growing conditions. During cold storage, the sugar content can increase. In particular, the sucrose content increases substantially, and an increase in the fructose and glucose content is also seen. This increase in sugar content occurs because there is a gradual conversion of starch to more simple sugars as storage proceeds.
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