Health benefits of phytochemicals from selected Canadian crops

Several crops including grains, oilseeds and horticultural crops, grown in Canada, are rich sources of phytochemicals. The identification, isolation, characterization processing of these phytochemicals have led to strong inte rest in the area of functional foods. Cereal such as wheat, barley and oats , oilseeds such as canola, flaxseed and mustard, and horticultural crops su ch as grapes, sea buckthorn, and Echinacea have been investigated at Agricu lture and Agri-Food Canada and other Canadian research institutions as good sources of phytochemicals. Different strategies have been developed for th e use of these phytochemicals from various crops to fit intended marketing niches. Products containing many of these phytochemicals are emerging in Ca nada, based on results obtained from several completed and ongoing studies. The health benefits of selected phytochemicals from Canadian crops is revi ewed with special emphasis on new products and technologies. (C) 1999 Publi shed by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.