Strategies for crop nutraceutical content enhancement, a review

Abstract

The increase in cardiovascular and degenerative diseases around the world, in addition to other metabolic alterations derived from an inadequate diet, have highlighted the need to consume more nutritious and healthy foods, that can also provide added value in the prevention of diseases. In this sense, nutraceutical-rich functional foods have become a sustained growing market derived from consumer demands. Different strategies have been developed to enhance the content of nutraceuticals compounds in crops and end products, as well as to increase the bioavailability of them. These strategies have been grouped in biofortification techniques (e.g., foliar, and soil application of nutrients, germination, and soaking of seeds, genetic modification of plants and crops) and techniques for nutraceutical enrichment (e.g., fermentation of food byproducts, nanoparticles, and induced post-harvest stress). The utilization of these techniques thrives a new approach for novel biofortified, and nutraceutical enriched foods that meet the needs of the most demanding and health-conscious consumers.