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doi: 10.1111/j.1753-4887.1999.tb01800.xpmid: 10568344
Several traditional nutrients and dietary fiber have been associated with both increased and decreased risk of chronic diseases. However, there are many minor components in foods, particularly plant-derived foods, that elicit biologic responses in mammalian systems that are consistent with reduced risk of one or more chronic diseases (phytonutrients). These phytonutrients have been categorized into ten classes of compounds or biologic activities. Representative compounds, typical biologic activities, and common food sources are tabulated for each phytonutrient class. A brief discussion of each category is presented along with several structure-activity relationships.
Bronson, Roderick; Birt, Diane; Meydani, Simin Nikbin
doi: 10.1111/j.1753-4887.1999.tb01801.xpmid: 10568345
A central issue that must be addressed by phytonutrient research is how to assess the effects of phytonutrients on long-term health. Proper assessment of these effects requires the measurement of biomarkers of long-term health in people consuming any particular phytonutrient. This is a brief review of what is known about biomarkers of cancer risk, immune function, and aging. Relatively few biomarkers of long-term health have been even partially validated in experimental animals or people.
Kochian, Leon V.; Garvin, David F.
doi: 10.1111/j.1753-4887.1999.tb01802.xpmid: 10568346
Recent advances in plant molecular biology, functional genomics, and biochemistry have opened up a number of new avenues of research that will enable plant biologists to characterize, increase and modify plant content of a wide range of essential minerals and vitamins, as well as a number of secondary plant compounds that appear to play a role in improving human health and nutrition. In this review, several examples of exciting new research applying plant genomic and molecular genetic approaches to the improvement of phytonutrient content and composition in plants are presented. Research focusing on the elucidation of many of these complex biosynthetic and transport pathways in plants will require considerable resources in terms of funding, time, and personnel. As plant biologists move into interdisciplinary collaborations with nutritionists and food scientists, attention must be paid to a more complete identification and characterization of specific bioactive phytonutrients. Also, a more detailed assessment of the health-promoting properties of these compounds is needed, particularly for many of the secondary plant compounds for which clear epidemiologic and clinical data are still lacking. Finally, in order for significant progress to be made in modifying the nutrient composition of crops, a major investment must be made by funding agencies.
Farnham, Mark W.; Simon, Philipp W.; Stommel, John R.
doi: 10.1111/j.1753-4887.1999.tb01803.xpmid: 10568347
During the twentieth century, plant breeding and genetics improved the nutritive value of horticultural and agronomic crops, particularly of macronutrients and fiber. Current research focuses more on micronutrients. Successful development of phytonutrient-enriched crop plants will be bolstered by interdisciplinary collaborative research, analytical and biotechnology advances, and public education. Although the melding of plant and nutrition research holds great promise, the genetic enhancement of crop plants for improved phytonutrient content will be challenging. This paper reviews the knowledge base on which genetic enhancement may be based, identifies gaps in scientific knowledge and technical capacities, and suggests a role for the federal government in research.
Grusak, Michael A.; DellaPenna, Dean; Welch, Ross M.
doi: 10.1111/j.1753-4887.1999.tb01804.xpmid: 10568348
Plant physiologists and biochemists are unraveling the transport mechanisms and biosynthetic pathways that determine each plant's unique phytonutrient composition so that crop plants can be modified to improve their nutrition quality. However, before this goal can be achieved, more information is needed on various plant and human phytonutrient-related processes, and some new technical capabilities are required. The current status of our knowledge base and recommendations for technical improvements and research priorities will be discussed.
Fahey, Jed W.; Clevidence, Beverly A.; Russell, Robert M.
doi: 10.1111/j.1753-4887.1999.tb01805.xpmid: 10568349
Until very recently, phytonutrient research was the province of natural product chemists and consisted of primarily anecdotal clinical references. In recent years, an extensive set of qualitative and semi-quantitative dietary epidemiologic data has been developed. This developing base of epidemiologic data is now being supplemented by biochemical, mechanistic, and genetic epidemiology of a more quantitative nature. As we seek to understand the mechanisms that explain a large body of epidemiologic evidence, newer laboratory methods continue to be developed. Though there is a continuing need for even more discriminating nutrition epidemiology to drive the basic research in this area forward, the focus of in vitro, animal and clinical (human) studies must continue to be refined, and appropriate biomarkers for chronic and acute (death) disease end-points must be developed.
Balentine, Douglas A.; Albano, Michael C.; Nair, Muraleedharan G.
doi: 10.1111/j.1753-4887.1999.tb01806.xpmid: 10568350
The body of knowledge about plants, herbs, and spices and their respective and collective roles in promoting human health is modest. Flavonoids in tea and anthocyanins in tart cherries were presented as examples of how to move forward in understanding active compounds. Dietary compounds, their roles in maintaining human health, and their interactions with established nutrients were determined to be short-term research priorities.
Goldman, I.L.; Kader, A.A.; Heintz, C.
doi: 10.1111/j.1753-4887.1999.tb01807.xpmid: 10568351
The goals of agricultural production have traditionally been to try to accommodate needs for: 1) adequate and reliable yields to provide a sufficient food supply in a growing world; 2) food safety; 3) taste; 4) convenience; 5) profit; and 6) variety. Alternative strategies to enhance any of these outcomes are typically evaluated as to their probable effects on the key outcome: yield. However, with the burgeoning consumer interest in foods that optimize health, attention is shifting from concerns over quantity alone to concerns over the constituents of foods that may promote health, and thus to the agricultural practices that will protect, and perhaps enhance these constituents of the food supply. This shift in focus requires new thinking and new strategies across all segments of the food production system. This paper summarizes selected aspects of crop production that are pivotal to the nutrient value of foods for human consumption and suggests some strategies for establishing a new research and production paradigm that will embrace nutrient quality among the priorities of agricultural research.
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