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Isothiocyanate concentrations and interconversion of sulforaphane to erucin in human subjects after consumption of commercial frozen broccoli compared to fresh broccoli

Shikha Saha, Wendy Hollands, Birgit Teucher, Paul W Needs, Arjan Narbad, Catharine A Ortori, David A Barrett, John T Rossiter, Richard F Mithen, Paul A Kroon
Molecular Nutrition & Food Research 2012 56(12):1906-1916

Bibliography

PubMed
PMID 23109475
DOI
10.1002/mnfr.201200225
Funding
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (UK)

Study snapshot

DesignRandomized crossover controlled feeding study
ModelHealthy adult volunteers
Sample18 participants
InterventionLightly cooked fresh broccoli soup versus similarly prepared commercially frozen broccoli soup in a crossover design.
DurationAcute post-meal pharmacokinetic comparison
EndpointsPlasma sulforaphane and erucin metabolites; Urinary isothiocyanate metabolites; Relative sulforaphane bioavailability

What the study showed, in plain terms

In 18 healthy volunteers, lightly cooked fresh broccoli produced about tenfold greater sulforaphane bioavailability than commercially frozen broccoli. The authors attributed the difference largely to destruction of plant myrosinase during commercial blanching.

Key findings

Fresh broccoli generated substantially greater systemic sulforaphane exposure than commercial frozen broccoli. The study also documented interconversion between sulforaphane and erucin and showed that gut microbial conversion does not fully compensate for loss of plant myrosinase.

What this study can and cannot tell us

Small acute feeding study using specific broccoli products and preparation methods; it measured pharmacokinetics rather than clinical health outcomes, so results should not be generalized to every frozen broccoli product or long-term outcome.

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Dr. Khaled Mahmoud, MBBChCritical Care Medicine, Longevity Science & Editorial Direction Dr. Amr Yasser, PhDCardiometabolic, Musculoskeletal, Gut & Bioavailability Dr. Abdulla Mostafa, PhDCellular Senescence, Neurological, Mitochondrial & Brain-Ageing Biology