ABSTRACT

The natural glucosinolates, formerly called thioglucosides, are found in all crucifer plants including horticultural crops such as cabbage, oilseed crops such as rapeseed, condiments such as mustard seed, and herbage such as Brassica kale. Glucosinolates are the source of organic nitriles, isothiocyanates, and SCN ion. Some of these compounds have been shown to be harmful if consumed in sufficient amounts by humans and by animals. In the use of crucifer plants for food or feed, the most obvious problems have been those arising from attempts to use seed meal for animal feed. Crucifers are grown for forage in Australia and parts of Europe as a major part of the ration for ruminants. Brassica oleracea var. capitata and related cole crops are the major horticultural crops that contain glucosinolates. The biological effects of the aglucons that may be formed from the glucosinolates and the conditions under which the aglucons form should be more thoroughly explored.