Glucosinolates in Food

Abstract

Glucosinolates are secondary plant metabolites that have attracted researcher’s attention due to their potential chemopreventive activity. More than 120 different glucosinolates have been identified in plants, and several of these compounds have been studied for the potential anti-cancerogenic effect of their metabolic breakdown products (mainly ITCs). Glucosinolates are peculiar of vegetables belonging to Brassicaceae family but are present also in few other species (capers, papaya, and moringa) used for human consumption. The type and concentration of glucosinolates in food are highly variable depending on several factors, such as genetics, cultivation site, cultivar, growth conditions, developmental stage, plant tissue, post-harvest handling, and food preparation methods. As types and concentration are also the main determinant of their biological activities, estimates of their content in food are essential tool to understand if a certain diet is adequate to deliver qualitatively and quantitatively appropriate glucosinolates and ITCs. The aim of this chapter is to describe qualitative and quantitative glucosinolate distribution among commonly eaten food, as well as the effect of the post-harvest handling on the glucosinolate food content.