How Can Research on Plants Contribute to Promoting Human Health?^[OA]

1. Cathie Martin^a,¹,
2. Eugenio Butelli^a,
3. Katia Petroni^b and
4. Chiara Tonelli^b

+ Author Affiliations

1. ^aJohn Innes Centre, Colney, Norwich NR4 7UH, United Kingdom
2. ^bDepartment of Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy

1. 1Address correspondence to [e-mail].

Abstract

One of the most pressing challenges forthe next 50 years is to reduce the impact of chronic disease. Unhealthyeating isan increasing problem and underlies much of theincrease in mortality from chronic diseases that is occurring worldwide.Dietsrich in plant-based foods are strongly associatedwith reduced risks of major chronic diseases, but the constituents inplantsthat promote health have proved difficult toidentify with certainty. This, in turn, has confounded the precision ofdietaryrecommendations. Plant biochemistry can makesignificant contributions to human health through the identification andmeasurementof the many metabolites in plant-based foods,particularly those known to promote health (phytonutrients). Plantgeneticsand metabolic engineering can be used to make foodsthat differ only in their content of specific phytonutrients. Suchfoodsoffer research tools that can provide significantinsight into which metabolites promote health and how they work. Plantsciencecan reduce some of the complexity of thediet-health relationship, and through building multidisciplinaryinteractions withresearchers in nutrition and the pathology ofchronic diseases, plant scientists can contribute novel insight intowhich foodsreduce the risk of chronic disease and how thesefoods work to impact human health.

• Received January 18, 2011.
• Revision received April 3, 2011.
• Accepted April 27, 2011.

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