Chemopreventive functional food through selenium biofortification of cauliflower plants

Abstract

The aim of this work was to develop a biotechnological approach for production of cauliflower as safe functional food, with an optimal content of chemopreventive compounds, by a protective biofortification, through selenium application together with betaine and spraying adjuvants. In the control and treated cauliflower plants we determined the amount of total selenium, glucosinolates (sulforaphane) and SAH (S-Adenosyl-homocysteine). We also assayed the chemopreventive effects of compounds formed in the treated cruciferous plants through in vitro tests, using human colorectal tumor cell line (CaCo2). Extracts of plants treated with selenium applied together with betaine and spraying adjuvant were significantly more active on reduction of tumoral cell viability than the extract of control plants. Cauliflower plants, obtained after our treatments for protective biofortification, were used to feed rabbits, for 10 days. The ingestion of biofortified cauliflower did not modify the hematological and biochemical parameters on the laboratory animals.

Keywords

• cauliflower
• selenium
• biofortification
• chemopreventive compounds