Chemical characterization and biological evaluation of phytochemicals released in grain digesta

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Grains comprise the major staple foods consumed worldwide. Of importance to human health is the fact that they serve as vital sources of micronutrients and (non-nutrient) phytochemicals. The latter including phenolic compounds and carotenoids are in coexistence with micronutrients and dietary fibre constituents of the grain. Understanding the composition and distribution of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory phytochemical components in different grain tissues including the aleurone is critically important in the selection of whole grains and grain fractions for use in the diet and as ingredients in food product development. The eventual transformation from raw, whole grains to processed food products disrupts the kernel structure with concomitant physical and chemical changes in the phytochemical molecules. The novelty of the proposed research lies in the documentation of the physicochemical changes that micronutrients and phytochemicals (MAPs) undergo and the extent to which the resultant molecular structures are responsible for the health benefits attributed to the consumption of whole grain food products and their derivatives.