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Review Article|30 Oct 2024|OPEN
Brassica vegetables—an undervalued nutritional goldmine
Xiaomeng Zhang1 ,† , Qiong Jia1 ,† , Xin Jia1 ,† , Jie Li2 , Xiaoxue Sun1 , Leiguo Min1 , Zhaokun Liu3 , Wei Ma1 , and Jianjun Zhao,1 ,
1State Key Laboratory of North China Crop Improvement and Regulation, Key Laboratory of Vegetable Germplasm Innovation and Utilization of Hebei, Collaborative Innovation Center of Vegetable Industry in Hebei, College of Horticulture, Hebei Agricultural University, No. 2596 Lekai South Street, Lianchi District, Baoding, Hebei 071000, China
2Department of Biochemistry and Metabolism, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, United Kingdom
3Vegetable Research Institute, Suzhou Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 2351 Dongshan Avenue, Linhu Town, Wuzhong District, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215155, China
*Corresponding author. E-mail: yymw@hebau.edu.cn,yyzjj@hebau.edu.cn
Xiaomeng Zhang,Qiong Jia and Xin Jia contributed equally to the study.

Horticulture Research 12,
Article number: uhae302 (2025)
doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/hr/uhae302
Views: 2423

Received: 21 May 2024
Accepted: 16 Oct 2024
Published online: 30 Oct 2024

Abstract

The genus Brassica includes six species and over 15 types of vegetables that are widely cultivated and consumed globally. This group of vegetables is rich in bioactive compounds, including glucosinolates, vitamins (such as vitamin C, folate, tocopherol, and phylloquinone), carotenoids, phenols, and minerals, which are crucial for enriching diets and maintaining human health. However, the full extent of these phytonutrients and their significant health benefits remain to be fully elucidated. This review highlights the nutrient compositions and health advantages of Brassica vegetables and discusses the impacts of various processing methods on their nutritional value. Additionally, we discuss potential strategies for enhancing the nutrition of Brassica crops through agronomic biofortification, conventional breeding, and biotechnological or metabolic engineering approaches. This review lays the foundation for the nutritional improvement of Brassica crops.