NATURAL GLUCOSINOLATES (THIOGLUCOSIDES) IN FOODS AND FEEDS

The chemistry of the glucosinolates is reviewed and also the biological effects from ingestion of plants containing these compounds. Isothiocyanates, nitriles. oxazolidinethiones, and thiocyanate ion are formed from glucosinolates in the various Cruciferae plants that are used for food, condiment, and feed. As normally consumed these plants apparently have no deleterious effect because of the low concentration of glucosinolates in the edible parts. Higher concentrations of glucosinolates in such oilseed meals as rape and crambe limit the amount of the seed meal that can be used in animal feeds. Work at the Northern Laboratory shows that under many conditions of autolysis (endogenous enzyme hydrolysis) of meal from the rapeseed Brassica napus and of crambe seed meal, the major glucosinolates form previously unrecognized organic nitriles instead of the 5-vinyloxazolidine-2-thiones (goitrins). © 1969, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.