Epidemiological data suggests that diets rich in plant-based foods are associated with decreased risks for metabolic and chronic diseases, such as obesity, diabetes mellitus or cancer. In 1992, a review of 200 epidemiological studies by Block et al. (Block, G., Patterson, B. and Subar, A. 1992. Fruit, vegetables, and cancer prevention: A review of the epidemiological evidence. Nutr. Cancer 18: 1-29)) showed that cancer risk in people consuming diets high in fruits and vegetables was only one-half that of those consuming few of these foods. It is also clear that there are bioactive components in a plant-based diet other than traditional nutrients that can reduce cancer risk. The search for compounds with other health enhancing effects has led to the development of a number of functional foods. Although foods are functional in general, as they provide taste, aroma, or nutritive value, the term �functional food� applies to food that provides an additional physiological benefit beyond that of meeting basic nutritional needs. The comprehensive scientific contribution of Thomas Hofmann's group to the discovery of natural products as bioactive ingredients in functional foods with diverse, but specific bioactivities such as, e.g., antioxidant, anti-diabetic or anticancer activities, by means of bioassay-guided fractionation using cellular tests and/or chemical assays in combination with modern spectroscopic methods has set milestones not only for current research in this field, but also provides future perspectives by including pharmacokinetic and metabolomic studies to unravel the complex biologically activities of metabolites formed upon biotransformation of active natural compounds. This paper will review the key publications in this field and provide on outlook for future experimental strategies for unraveling the role of novel bioactive plant compounds.

Unraveling food bioactives: Past - present � future

248th National Meeting (2014)

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