Current analytical methods for determination of glucosinolates in vegetables and human tissues.

Numerous epidemiological studies have indicated the potential effects of glucosinolates and their metabolites against cancer as well as other non-communicable diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and neurodegenerative disorders. However, information on the presence and quantity of glucosinolates in commonly consumed vegetables and in human fluids is sparse, largely because well-standardised methods for glucosinolate determination are not available, resulting in published data being inconsistent and conflicting. Thus, studies published since 2002 on the most recent developments of glucosinolate extraction and identification have been collected and reviewed with emphasis on determination of the intact glucosinolates by LC-MS and LC-MS/MS. This overview highlights the glucosinolate extraction methods used, the stability of glucosinolates during extraction, the availability of stable isotope labelled internal standards and the use of NMR for purity analysis, as well as the current analytical techniques that have been applied for glucosinolate analysis, e.g. liquid chromatography with mass spectrometric detection (LC-MS). It aims to interpret the findings with a focus on the development of a validated method, which will help to determine the glucosinolate content of vegetative plants and human tissues, and the identification and determination of selected glucosinolate metabolites.

Evaluation of glucoiberin reference material from Iberis amara by spectroscopic fingerprinting.

Increasing worldwide regulations require increased efforts toward validation of analytical and pharmacological reference materials. A detailed survey of glucoiberin, a prototype lead constituent of therapeutic value, using 1D/2D NMR, MS, and X-ray spectroscopy provided precise phytochemical data for structure assignment. Quantitative reference validation was achieved by the recently proposed qNMR method.

Nutritional evaluation of low glucosinolate mustard meals (Brassica juncea) in broiler diets.

Experiments were conducted to evaluate the nutritional value of meal derived from low glucosinolate cultivars of mustard (Brassica juncea) in comparison to samples of canola meal (Brassica napus, Brassica rapa). Samples of Brassica seed (four B. juncea, one B. napus, and one B. rapa) were processed using laboratory procedures to produce oil-extracted meals, which were examined for composition (DM basis), and nutritional value for broiler chickens as judged by nutrient retention (AMEn, ileal protein digestibility) and performance. Meals derived from B. juncea contained more CP and less total dietary fiber (TDF) on a dry basis than either B. napus or B. rapa, 45.9 vs 44.6 and 43.1% CP and 27.22 vs 29.47 and 29.67% TDF, respectively. Acid detergent fiber (ADF) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) levels for B. juncea and B. rapa meals were similar to each other, but lower than those of B. napus, 12.79 and 13.20 vs 20.6% ADF, and 21.15 and 19.58 vs 29.47% NDF, respectively. Brassica juncea meals contained more glucosinolates than B. napus and B. rapa, 34.3 vs 21.8 and 25.5 mumol/g total glucosinolates, respectively. Brassica juncea meals were equal or superior to B. napus and B. rapa meals for AMEn and apparent ileal protein digestibility. Similarly, broilers fed B. juncea meals grew as quickly and converted feed to BW gain as efficiently to 21 d of age as those birds fed B. napus and B. rapa meals. Feeding meal from B. rapa reduced growth rate and gain to feed ratio. In conclusion, the nutritional value of meal from low glucosinolate mustard was equal or superior to that of canola meal samples derived from B. napus and B. rapa cultivars.