Children's dislike of cauliflower, broccoli could be written in their microbiome

Date:
September 22, 2021
Source:
American Chemical Society
Summary:
Many children, as well as adults, dislike Brassica vegetables,
such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and Brussels sprouts. In
the mouth, enzymes from these vegetables and from bacteria in
saliva can produce unpleasant, sulfurous odors. Now, researchers
have found that levels of these volatile compounds are similar in
parent-child pairs, suggesting shared oral microbiomes. They also
found that high levels cause children to dislike the vegetables.



FULL STORY ==========================================================================
Many children, as well as adults, dislike Brassica vegetables, such
as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and Brussels sprouts. In the mouth,
enzymes from these vegetables and from bacteria in saliva can produce unpleasant, sulfurous odors. Now, researchers reporting in ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistryhave found that levels of these volatile compounds are similar in parent-child pairs, suggesting shared oral microbiomes. They also found that high levels cause children to dislike
the vegetables.


========================================================================== Brassica vegetables contain a compound called S-methyl-ʟ-cysteine sulfoxide that produces potent, sulfurous odors when acted upon by an
enzyme in the plant's tissues, as well as by the same enzyme produced by bacteria in some people's oral microbiomes. Previous studies have shown
that adults have different levels of this enzyme in their saliva, but
whether children also have different levels, and whether this influences
their food preferences, is unknown. Damian Frank and colleagues, who
conducted this research at CSIRO, Australia's national science agency,
wanted to investigate differences in sulfur volatile production in saliva
from children and adults and analyze how they affect Brassica acceptance.

The researchers used gas chromatography-olfactometry-mass spectrometry to identify the main odor-active compounds in raw and steamed cauliflower and broccoli. Then, they asked 98 child/parent pairs, with children between 6
and 8 years of age, to rate the key odor compounds. Dimethyl trisulfide,
which smells rotten, sulfurous and putrid, was the least liked odor by
children and adults.

The team then mixed saliva samples with raw cauliflower powder and
analyzed the volatile compounds produced over time. Large differences in
sulfur volatile production were found between individuals, and children
usually had similar levels as their parents, which is likely explained
by similar microbiomes.

Children whose saliva produced high amounts of sulfur volatiles disliked
raw Brassica vegetables the most, but this relationship was not seen in
adults, who might learn to tolerate the flavor over time. These results
provide a new potential explanation for why some people like Brassica vegetables and others (especially children) don't, the researchers say.

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by American_Chemical_Society. Note:
Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Damian Frank, Udayasika Piyasiri, Nicholas Archer, Jessica
Heffernan,
Astrid A. M. Poelman. In-Mouth Volatile Production from Brassica
Vegetables (Cauliflower) and Associations with Liking in an
Adult/Child Cohort. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry,
2021; DOI: 10.1021/ acs.jafc.1c03889 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/09/210922090903.htm

--- up 2 weeks, 6 days, 8 hours, 25 minutes
* Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (1:317/3)