**2. Vegetables in global food economy**

The most dominant vegetables in the global food economy are tomato, cucurbits, (pumpkin, squash, cucumber and gherkin), allium (onion, shallot, garlic) and chili. These vegetables are consumed in nearly all countries although with much variation in shape, size, color and taste, while the marketing of global vegetables accounts for significant revenue stream, traditional vegetables often have superior nutritional properties. For instance, 100 g of leaves of amaranth or vegetable cowpea can provide over 100% of the vitamin A needs of pregnant women. Globally, a one per cent increase in per capita income in developing countries is associated with a 0.5% increase in per capita vegetables availability. It follows that the bulk of the global supply of fruit and vegetables (77% of total value) is produced in populous middleincome countries. China accounts for 45% of the global value of vegetable production. India comes second, accounting for eight per cent of global vegetable production. Vegetables play a major role in world agriculture by providing food and offering nutritional and economic security.

## **3. Health promoting nutrient compounds in vegetables**

Macro carotene, nutraceuticals, phyto-chemicals are bioactive compounds which are either plant pigments (lycopene, ß carotene, anthoyanin, lutein, capsanthin, zeaxanthin *etc.*) or secondary metabolites (Flavonoids, isothiocyanates, glucosinolates *etc.*) found in most of the vegetables which provide color, flavor and texture and protect the plants

**Antioxidants**: Phyto-chemicals with antioxidant activity are carotenoids (a-carotene, lycopene, zeaxanthin, cryptoxanthin, lutein) flavonoids and polphenols present in vegetables.

**Flavanoids:** Vegetables such as kale, spinach, Brussel's sprouts, sprouting broccoli, beets, red bell-pepper, onion, corn, eggplant, cauliflower and cucumber are also rich source of flavonoids hence, have potent antioxidant activity.

**Plant pigments:** Plant pigments are edible colors found in tissue of plants which includes anthocyanins, betalains, carotenoids and chlorophylls.

**Edible colors:** Edible colors are natural pigments found in tissue of plants. These colors are the chemical compounds produced by several biochemical pathway and gives colors to the food. These colors are changed according the growth stage of the plant parts or vegetable product. These include anthocyanins, betalains, carotenoids, chlorophylls. These pigments play important ecological and metabolic functions in the plants [1] and are more frequently exploited as the source of nutraceuticals to address a number of human ailments.

**Betalains:** Betalains have been widely used as natural colorants for many centuries but their attractiveness for use as colorants of foods (or drugs and cosmetics) has

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*Breeding Vegetables for Nutritional Security DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.95349*

**4. Antinutrient factors**

**5. Breeding nutrient rich varieties**

to act as a chemopreventive compound in humans.

increased recently due to their reportedly high anti-oxidative free radical scavenging

**Chlorophylls:** Chlorophyll is the most important plant pigment which has the potential to act as a chemo-preventive compound in humans. Chlorophylls, in contrast, are typically consumed in much higher doses in a diet that incorporates green and leafy vegetables [2]. The anti- mutagenic properties of chlorophylls have neen demonstrated in various assays, and clearly, intake of chlorophyll has potential

**Anthocyanins:** Anthocyanins are natural pigments belonging to the flavonoid family. They are responsible for the blue, purple, red and orange color of many fruits and vegetables. Anthocyanins are capable of acting on different cells involved in the development of atherosclerosis, one of the leading causesa to cardiovascular dysfunction. Anthocyanins and the aglycone cyaniding were found to inhibit cycloxygenase enzymes, which can be one market for the initiation stage of carcinogenesis. On one hand they can interfere with glucose absorption and on the other hand they may have a protective effect on pancreatic cells. The most extensively documented phytomedicinal role of anthocyanin pigments is in improving eyesight including night vision. **Carotenoids:** Carotenoids are the second most abundant pigments in nature, and consist of more than 700 members [3]. Carotenoids play an important role in plant reproduction, through their role in attracting pollinators and in seed dispersal, and are essential components of human's diets. Carotenoids provide protection to vision and eye function, and against macular degeneration and cataracts. Carotenoids are credited with biological promotion of immune system response. Carotenoids are associated with inhinition of several types of cancers including

activities, and concerns about the use of various synthetic alternatives.

cervical, esophageal, pancreatic, lung, prostate, colorectal and stomach.

Plants produce many defense strategies to protect themselves from predators and many of these, such as resveratrol and glucosinate, which are primarily pathogenprotective chemicals also have demonstrated beneficial effects for human health. Many, however, have the opposite effect. For example, phytate, a plant phosphate storage compound, is an antinutrient as it strongly chelates iron, calcium, zinc and other divalent mineral ions making them unavailable for uptake. Different antinutrient compounds (phytates, oxalates, trypisn inhibitors, lectins etc.), food allergens (albumins, globluins etc.) and toxins (glycoalkaloids, cynogenic glucosides, phyto-hemaglutinins) in crop plants need to be reduced to enhance nutrient potential of the vegetables.

Vegetables are valued for their extrinsic and intrinsic quality traits. Diet rich in vegetables provide micronutrients and health promoting phytochemicals that alleviate malnutrition. The beneficial health effects are mainly attributed to diverse antioxidant compounds such as vitamins, carotenoids, phenolics. Alkaloids, nitrogen containing compounds, organouslphur compounds etc. Although, chief long term breeding objective will continue to be increasing yield to meet the food requirement of ever increasing population, in order to ensure health security to our countrymen and multipurpose utility of the varieties for fresh market and industry suitability, it is imperative that nutraceutical, edible color and bioactive compound rich vegetable varieties are bred ensuring high remuneration to farmers. Quality in vegetables is a complex character influenced by both genetical

#### *Breeding Vegetables for Nutritional Security DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.95349*

increased recently due to their reportedly high anti-oxidative free radical scavenging activities, and concerns about the use of various synthetic alternatives.

**Chlorophylls:** Chlorophyll is the most important plant pigment which has the potential to act as a chemo-preventive compound in humans. Chlorophylls, in contrast, are typically consumed in much higher doses in a diet that incorporates green and leafy vegetables [2]. The anti- mutagenic properties of chlorophylls have neen demonstrated in various assays, and clearly, intake of chlorophyll has potential to act as a chemopreventive compound in humans.

**Anthocyanins:** Anthocyanins are natural pigments belonging to the flavonoid family. They are responsible for the blue, purple, red and orange color of many fruits and vegetables. Anthocyanins are capable of acting on different cells involved in the development of atherosclerosis, one of the leading causesa to cardiovascular dysfunction. Anthocyanins and the aglycone cyaniding were found to inhibit cycloxygenase enzymes, which can be one market for the initiation stage of carcinogenesis. On one hand they can interfere with glucose absorption and on the other hand they may have a protective effect on pancreatic cells. The most extensively documented phytomedicinal role of anthocyanin pigments is in improving eyesight including night vision.

**Carotenoids:** Carotenoids are the second most abundant pigments in nature, and consist of more than 700 members [3]. Carotenoids play an important role in plant reproduction, through their role in attracting pollinators and in seed dispersal, and are essential components of human's diets. Carotenoids provide protection to vision and eye function, and against macular degeneration and cataracts. Carotenoids are credited with biological promotion of immune system response. Carotenoids are associated with inhinition of several types of cancers including cervical, esophageal, pancreatic, lung, prostate, colorectal and stomach.
