Brassica vegetables and human health: Glucosinolates in the food chain

The glucosinolates and their breakdown products are responsible for much of the flavour of brassica vegetables and condiments. They have long been known to exert antinutritional effects in animal feedstuffs, but there is an increasing body of evidence to suggest that they also function as anticarcinogens in human foods. To fully test this hypothesis, and to explore its implications for public health and commerce, it is necessary first to establish the levels of intact glucosinolates and breakdown products ingested from vegetables harvested, stored and processed under commercial conditions. The bioavailability of glucosinolate breakdown products must be quantified, and both the safety and benefits must be properly assessed. If confirmed, the anticarcinogenic properties of brassica vegetables will encourage manipulation of glucosinolate levels in commercial vegetables. Recent progress in our understanding of the genetic basis of glucosinolate biosynthesis makes this a practical possibility.