Low Microbial Load Sprouts with Enhanced Antioxidants for Astronaut Diet

Abstract

• Novel methods to stimulate phenolic antioxidants from legume, mung bean (Vigna radiata) sprouts with low microbial count were developed to support a healthy diet for astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) as well as lunar and Mars programs. INTRODUCTION • ANTIOXIDANTS AND NUTRITION • Plants are excellent sources of phenolic antioxidants • Phenolic phytochemicals – antioxidative action • scavengers of singlet oxygen and free radicals. • Donate hydrogen from hydroxyl groups positioned along the aromatic ring to terminate free radical oxidation of lipids and other biomolecules short-circuit a destructive chain reaction that ultimately degrades cellular membranes. • Implications for human health and in particular cancer. • Understanding Biosynthesis is essential for the development of functional foods, which refers to the improvement of conventional foods with added health benefits. Antioxidants for Protection from Radiation damage • Radiation exposure-linked oxidative stress and biological damage likely to be encountered by astronauts. • In addition to cell membrane damage can cause oxidative damage at the DNA level, having consequences for mutagenesis and cancer. • Preventive nutrient support through use of food-grade antioxidants, such as vitamin C, E and A, have the potential to reduce damage. • Phenolic antioxidants also have the potential to be used as diet-based support for managing radiation-linked antioxidant protection . • Sprout-based phenolic antioxidants can be designed as functional foods for diet-based protection. Phenolic Antioxidants from Plants • Secondary metabolites, which have diverse medicinal applications. – Curcumin from Curcuma longa – Rosmarinic acid from Rosmarinus officinalis . – Isoflavonoids from Glycine max and galanigin from Origanum vulgare – Ellagic acid via solid-state bioprocessing from fruits . – L-tyrosine and L-DOPA from fava bean and related legumes for stress adaptogenic and Parkinson’s diet therapy • Implications for stress-management in advanced life support systems beyond Earth. PHENOLIC ANTIOXIDANTS FROM LEGUME SPROUTS AND BIOCHEMICAL CONCEPTS • PEAS – a link between proline biosynthesis, oxidation, stimulation of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH), and phenolic synthesis. • MUNG BEAN – microbial polysaccharide treatments stimulated phenolic content, proline, G6PDH and GPX. – In addition specific elicitors, xanthan gum, yeast extract and yeast glucan stimulated antioxidant activity. – oregano phenolic extracts as elicitors to stimulate phenolic content during dark germination of mung bean.