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Title
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Plant stress and human health: do human consumers benefit from UV-B acclimated crops?
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Author
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Abstract
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| Plants are sessile organisms, and consequently cannot avoid exposure to stressful environmental conditions. Exposure to mild stress conditions can induce active acclimation responses, while more severe conditions cause metabolic disruptions. A common plant acclimation response to a variety of environmental stressors is the accumulation of antioxidants and secondary metabolites. For example, ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation impacts on the levels of a broad range of metabolites, including phenolic, terpenoid and alkaloid compounds. Our survey of the literature reveals that the levels of some of these metabolites increase following UV-B exposure, while those of others decrease, change transiently or are differently affected by low and high UV-doses. This includes several compounds that are pharmacologically active and/or nutritionally important. We conclude that the complex patterns of stress-induced changes in plant metabolites need to be studied in more detail to determine impacts on the nutritional and pharmacological characteristics of food products. Claims that UV-B acclimated plants have nutritional benefits are currently unproven. |
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Language
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English
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Source (journal)
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Plant science: an international journal of experimental plant biology. - Amsterdam
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Publication
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Amsterdam
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2008
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ISSN
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0168-9452
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DOI
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10.1016/J.PLANTSCI.2008.04.010
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Volume/pages
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175
:4
(2008)
, p. 449-458
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ISI
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000259345300002
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Full text (Publisher's DOI)
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Full text (publisher's version - intranet only)
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