Mechanical Digestion of Broccoli Through Chewing and Its Impact on Myrosinase Activity

Abstract

Myrosinase activity on broccoli glucosinolates has been widely and extensively discussed. Purpose Studies on cruciferous vegetables, especially broccoli, have gained significance in the fight against cancer. Glucosinolates in broccoli transformation into sulforaphane occur after its exposure through chewing. However, the relationship between individual chewing patterns linked to denture morphology has not been studied extensively. Research on human digestion has demonstrated how the mechanical breakdown of larger food particles into smaller ones is a crucial precursor to chemical food breakdown. This study is a comparative analysis of how chewing on broccoli tissues by different individuals enables the enzyme myrosinase to break down broccoli glucosinolates chemically. Individual chewing patterns linked to the surface anatomy of the pre-molars and molars and the myrosinase activity on broccoli glucosinolates will be investigated. Methods Three individuals chew a 4-millimeter broccoli floret four times sequentially into a four-millimeter-long broccoli floret (2 grams), and the floret length was measured at each bite until the sample was ground. Then the chewed broccoli was combined with distilled water, filtered, and myrosinase activity was measured using photospectrometric measurements and an agar diffusion test. Human pre-molars and molars are measured in millimeters. Results Data from the three human chewing mechanisms compared to the mechanical breakdown performed by an automatic mixer shows different values and is individually specific. Conclusion Individual chewing patterns link to the unique surface anatomy of the pre-molars and molars, subsequently impacting the myrosinase activity on broccoli glucosinolates’ breakdown individually.