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In the last decade, there has been an increase in the use of sprouted grains in human diet and a parallel increase in the scientific literature dealing with their nutritional traits and phytochemical contents. This review examines the physiological and biochemical changes during the germination process, and the effects on final sprout composition in terms of macro- and micro-nutrients and bioactive compounds. The main factors affecting sprout composition are taken into consideration: genotype, environmental conditions experimented by the mother plant, germination conditions. In particular, the review deepens the recent knowledge on the possible elicitation factors useful for increasing the phytochemical contents. Microbiological risks and post-harvest technologies are also evaluated, and a brief summary is given of some important in vivo studies matching with the use of grain sprouts in the diet. All the species belonging to Poaceae (Gramineae) family as well as pseudocereals species are included.

IntroductionThe concept of functional foods enriched with bioactive compounds, including polyphenols, flavonoids, and antioxidants, encompassing a diverse array of dietary items that extend beyond basic nutrition to confer specific health benefits, has received increasing attention in contemporary nutrition science. The study evaluated the effects of different LED light treatments on the morphological traits, pigment composition, antioxidant potential, and polyphenolic profile of pea microgreens and sprouts.MethodsPea sprouts and microgreens were grown under different LED light spectra (blue, red, blue–red, cool white and darkness) in controlled growth chamber conditions, followed by evaluation of morphological parameters, photosynthetic pigments, antioxidant activity, and phenolic composition. Photosynthetic pigments were determined spectrophotometrically, total phenolics and flavonoids were analyzed using Folin–Ciocalteu and AlCl₃ assays, antioxidant capacity was evaluated by the DPPH method and phenolic profiling was performed using HPLC-DAD analysis.Results and conclusionResults indicated substantial differences in fresh weight (FW) and dry weight content (%DW) under various light conditions. The highest growth was observed under blue-red (BR) light in sprouts and blue (B) light in microgreens (0.169 and 0.291 g FW, respectively). In sprouts, these responses are likely associated with light-induced photomorphogenic processes rather than fully developed photosynthetic activity, while microgreens, which possess functional chloroplasts, respond directly through photosynthesis. Cool white (CW) light resulted in the highest %DW in both growth stages (10.197% in sprouts and 11.651% in microgreens). Pigment content analysis showed that total chlorophyll concentrations were highest under BR light in both sprouts and microgreens (0.912 and 9.257 mg/g DW), with microgreens exhibiting elevated pigment levels overall. The total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) varied across treatments, with the highest TPC value under blue light in sprouts (5.869 mg GAE/g DW) and CW light in microgreens (7.531 mg GAE/g DW). TFC was highest under BR light for both developmental stages (1.046 and 1.759 mg QE/g DW). Antioxidant capacity, measured by DPPH radical scavenging activity, indicated that CW and blue light promoted the strongest antioxidant potential in both sprouts and microgreens. Analysis of phenolic compounds revealed substantial variability, with gallic acid and epicatechin being dominant under different light treatments. Exploratory molecular docking analysis indicated that rosmarinic acid has the highest predicted binding affinity for xanthine oxidase among the tested compounds, suggesting that experimental validation of these hypothesis-generating findings is needed. Overall, the results indicate that specific LED light treatments significantly influence the growth characteristics and biochemical properties of pea sprouts and microgreens.

Concern over microbial contamination limits the adoption of home production of sprouts as a nutritious and sustainable food. Simple, accessible approaches to seed disinfection could support safe home seed sprouting. Here, we quantify bacterial and fungal contamination of seeds of 14 plant cultivars sold for home sprout production and test a range of chemical and physical methods for seed disinfestation appropriate for home use. Most seeds are contaminated with a variety of bacteria and fungi, and those microbes are usually limited to the seed surface. Heat treatments are not effective for seed disinfection because the high temperatures needed to effectively reduce microbial contamination also reduce seed germination. Two chlorine-based chemical disinfectants—dilute household bleach (0.6% sodium hypochlorite) and freshly generated hypochlorous acid (800 ppm chlorine)—were the most effective disinfection agents tested (up to a 5-log reduction in bacteria) that also did not harm seed germination.

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is a nutrient-rich grain native to South America and eaten worldwide as a healthy food, sometimes even referred to as a ”superfood”. Like quinoa grains, quinoa greens (green leaves, sprouts, and microgreens) are also rich in nutrients and have health promoting properties such as being antimicrobial, anticancer, antidiabetic, antioxidant, antiobesity, and cardio-beneficial. Quinoa greens are gluten-free and provide an excellent source of protein, amino acids, essential minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids. Quinoa greens represent a promising value-added vegetable that could resolve malnutrition problems and contribute to food and nutritional security. The greens can be grown year-round (in the field, high tunnel, and greenhouse) and have short growth durations. In addition, quinoa is salt-, drought-, and cold-tolerant and requires little fertilizer and water to grow. Nevertheless, consumption of quinoa greens as leafy vegetables is uncommon. To date, only a few researchers have investigated the nutritional properties, phytochemical composition, and human health benefits of quinoa greens. We undertook a comprehensive review of the literature on quinoa greens to explore their nutritional and functional significance to human health and to bring awareness to their use in human diets.

The consumption of plant sprouts as part of human day-to-day diets is gradually increasing, and their health benefit is attracting interest across multiple disciplines. The purpose of this review was to (a) critically evaluate the phytochemicals in selected sprouts (alfalfa, buckwheat, broccoli, and red cabbage), (b) describe the health benefits of sprouts, (c) assess the recent advances in sprout production, (d) rigorously evaluate their safety, and (e) suggest directions that merit special consideration for further novel research on sprouts. Young shoots are characterized by high levels of health-benefitting phytochemicals. Their utility as functional ingredients have been extensively described. Tremendous advances in the production and safety of sprouts have been made over the recent past and numerous reports have appeared in mainstream scientific journals describing their nutritional and medicinal properties. However, subjects such as application of sprouted seed flours in processed products, utilizing sprouts as leads in the synthesis of nanoparticles, and assessing the dynamics of a relationship between sprouts and gut health require special attention for future clinical exploration. Sprouting is an effective strategy allowing manipulation of phytochemicals in seeds to improve their health benefits.

It is known that flavonoids in sprouts were accumulated more under light irradiation than under dark. Light source affecting flavonoid accumulation in sprouts is still investigating. We evaluated the effects of light sources, including red, blue and fluorescent lights, on the flavonoid accumulation and antioxidant activity in common buckwheat sprouts. Experimental results showed that blue light significantly enhanced the contents of C-glycosylflavones, including orientin, vitexin and their isomers, and rutin and a rutin isomer. Sprouts grown under blue light exhibit also the highest total phenolics and total flavonoids as well as the highest antioxidant activities. It was found that isoorientin is the highest antioxidant flavonoid whereas numerous former studies suggested that rutin is a typical antioxidant compound in common buckwheat. These results indicated that blue light could be applied for enhancing not only the content of flavonoids but also antioxidant activity in common buckwheat sprouts.

Abstract Selenicereus megalanthus Haw. It is an exotic fruit tree, with productive and nutritional potential. In Colombia, there is a great phenotypic and genotypic diversity, but its genetic studies are scarce. The objective was to characterize morphologically 15 selected yellow pitahaya genotypes, under two productive systems in the open field and under cover, in the municipalities of Miraflores and Zetaquira, in Boyacá, Colombia. Quantitative characters were evaluated: plant height (PH), number of vegetative sprouts (NVS), sub-sprouts (SS), longest sprouts length (LSL), distance between areoles (DBA), width of the ribs in the apical region (WRA), width of the ribs in the middle region (WRM), width of the ribs in the basal region (WRB), height of undulations between successive areoles in a rib (HUA), number of spines per areole (NSA) and longest spine length (LSP). The results showed under the two productive systems and the evaluated localities that the variables with the highest coefficient of variation (greater than 90%) were the number of sub-sprouts, height of the undulations between successive areoles (HUA) and the longest spine length (LSP). High positive correlations were obtained between the distances areoles, the width of the ribs and the length of the spines (r>0.7). The conglomerate showed that the characteristics that define the groupings are height of the plant, the texture of the cladodes, the width of the ribs and the height of the undulations. Characters associated with the shoots and cladodes were identified, which directly influence the vegetative propagation and therefore the yield of the yellow pitahaya. Resumo Selenicereus megalanthus Haw é uma fruteira exótica, com potencial produtivo e nutricional. Na Colômbia existe uma grande diversidade fenotípica e genotípica, mas seus estudos genéticos são escassos. O objetivo deste trabalho foi caracterizar morfologicamente 15 genótipos selecionados de pitaya amarela, a partir de dois sistemas produtivos em campo aberto e sob cobertura, nos municípios de Miraflores e Zetaquira, em Boyacá, Colômbia. Foram avaliados os caracteres quantitativos: altura da planta (PH), número de brotos vegetativos (NVS), sub-brotos (SS), maior comprimento dos brotos (LSL), distância entre aréolas (DBA), largura das nervuras na região apical (WRA), largura das costelas na região média (WRM), largura das costelas na região basal (WRB), altura das ondulações entre aréolas sucessivas em uma costela (HUA), número de espinhos por aréola (NSA) e maior espinha comprimento (LSL). Os resultados mostraram nos dois sistemas produtivos e nas localidades avaliadas que as variáveis com maior coeficiente de variação (maior que 90%) foram o número de sub-brotos, altura das ondulações entre aréolas sucessivas (HUA) e o maior comprimento do espinho (LSL). Altas correlações positivas foram obtidas entre as distâncias entre as aréolas, a largura das costelas e o comprimento dos espinhos (r > 0.07). O conglomerado mostrou que as características que definem os agrupamentos são a altura da planta, a textura dos cladódios, a largura das nervuras e a altura das ondulações. Foram identificados caracteres associados à brotação e aos cladódios, que influenciam diretamente na propagação vegetativa e, consequentemente, na produção da pitaya-amarela.

It has been reported that barley leaves possess beneficial properties such as antioxidant, hypolipidemic, antidepressant, and antidiabetic. Interestingly, barley sprouts contain a high content of saponarin, which showed both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. In this study, we evaluated the effect of barley sprouts on alcohol-induced liver injury mediated by inflammation and oxidative stress. Raw barley sprouts were extracted, and quantitative and qualitative analyses of its components were performed. The mice were fed a liquid alcohol diet with or without barley sprouts for four weeks. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells were used to study the effect of barley sprouts on inflammation. Alcohol intake for four weeks caused liver injury, evidenced by an increase in serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase activities and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α levels. The accumulation of lipid in the liver was also significantly induced, whereas the glutathione (GSH) level was reduced. Moreover, the inflammation-related gene expression was dramatically increased. All these alcohol-induced changes were effectively prevented by barley sprouts treatment. In particular, pretreatment with barley sprouts significantly blocked inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 expression in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7. This study suggests that the protective effect of barley sprouts against alcohol-induced liver injury is potentially attributable to its inhibition of the inflammatory response induced by alcohol.