Glucosinolates and their breakdown products in food and food plants

Abstract This review surveys the occurrence, analysis, and properties of glucosinolates and derived compounds in plants and products intended for humans and animal consumption. The paper, which includes references published in 1981, is also intended to compliment existing reviews on the chemistry of these sulfur‐containing natural products. Particular emphasis is placed upon members of the Brassica family because of their importance as vegetables, condiments, oilseeds, and animal feedingstuffs. Since much of the work considered here relates to glucosinolate decomposition products, biochemical information concerning the nature, occurrence, and properties of the glucosinolate‐degrading enzyme, myrosinase, is considered in Section III. The methods available for the chemical analysis of glucosinolates and their various breakdown products are discussed critically. Factors affecting the glucosinolate content of plants and plant products arc outlined in Section VII. Particular emphasis is placed upon the effect of processing on the concentration and nature of breakdown products and on the myrosinase activity. The role of glucosinolate breakdown products on flavor development is examined in Section VIII. The more general effects, both beneficial and adverse, of these compounds in food are discussed in Section X. Since such effects in animal feedingstuffs have been the subject of regular reviews, these are considered here only briefly. Contraindications in the literature are pointed out, areas which have been inadequately explored are highlighted, and suggestions are made for future research.