New data on bioactive compounds with putative health benefit
Bioactive plant food compounds (“plant bioactives” or “bioactive compounds”) can be defined as inherent non-nutrient constituents of food plants and edible mushrooms with anticipated health promoting/beneficial and/or toxic effects when ingested. Information about food sources, concentrations and intakes of bioactive compounds, as well knowledge of their absorption, metabolism and biological effects, is needed in order to evaluate their potential health benefits. However, there is currently a lack of information available on concentrations of plant bioactives in plant foods commonly consumed in Europe. Further, the data available may be inconsistent and incomplete.
EuroFIR-BASIS
To ensure this information is easily accessible, relevant and usable across Europe, EuroFIR has built on previous EU work to compile a web-based integrated database (EuroFIR-BASIS) on critically assessed compositional and biological activity data for bioactive compounds in major European plant based foods. The database details the type and quantity of classes of bioactive compounds, including flavonoids, isoflavones, carotenoids, phenolic acids, lignans and phytosterols. All the processes that are associated with the extraction, evaluation and inputting of data are performed within a quality assessment system.
Key features include:
- Data linked to authoritative plant and plant part lists
- Comprehensive coverage of plant bioactives
Composition data in EuroFIR-BASIS are derived from primary peer-reviewed publications. Data are assessed with respect to: food description; processing description; component identification; representativeness of sample; sample handling; analytical methodology and analytical performance. Over 400 scientific papers have been assessed so far, covering nearly 17,000 data points and about 250 compounds in nearly 200 different plants. Users can retrieve information on, for example, good sources of a specific bioactive compound, which plant parts contain the highest levels, and whether there are differences in concentration between different varieties of a plant.
The aim of the EuroFIR-BASIS biological effects database was to create a continuously growing online repository of critically evaluated research on the effect of bioactive compounds in in vitro and in vivo studies, including full details of study design, subjects, interventions and outcomes. Over 400 scientific papers have been assessed so far, covering nearly 800 data points, over 140 compounds and about 350 biomarkers. The data can be used both to assess whether a component has been reported to have beneficial health effects and the nature of these benefits, but also to quantify the level at which any health benefits are exerted. This type of information can be useful in providing evidence in support of health claims or in assessing proposed health claims.
EuroFIR-BASIS also contains botanically correct information on plant foods and edible mushrooms to assist both those compiling data and users retrieving data. It includes over 100 prioritised plants (with scientific and English names and edible parts) with photographs and detailed description (e.g. colour, size, shape, use) of edible parts of 100 plants. A list covering both the scientific and trivial names in 15 European languages for about 325 major plants and edible fungi eaten in Europe has also been published by EuroFIR.
In a new project, funded by the European Food Safety Authority, EuroFIR BASIS is being merged with the NORTOX database on toxic compounds managed by Danish Technical University (DTU) to create eBASIS. This is a database on plant-based bioactives, both beneficial and toxic, comprising quality assessed data on both composition and biological effects from peer reviewed literature. It will be a research resource for scientists, epidemiologists, food regulatory bodies and food industry professionals. Potential applications include nutrition and health claim substantiation, calculations of exposure to bioactive compounds, development of new food products, risk assessment of food and food plant products, and assessment of GM plants.
Publications
- Plant foods and health: Focus on plant bioactives. Synthesis Report No 4. (765 KB)