Nectar Flavonol rhamnosides are floral markers of acacia (Robinia pseudacacia) honey

With the objective of finding floral markers for the determination of the botanical origin of acacia (robinia) honey, the phytochemicals present in nectar collected from Robinia pseudacacia flowers were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Eight flavonoid glycosides were detected and characterized as kaempferol combinations with rhamnose and hexose. Acacia honey produced in the same location where the nectar was collected contained nectar-derived kaempferol rhamnosides. This is the first time that flavonoid glycosides have been found as honey constituents. Differences in the stability of nectar flavonoids during honey elaboration and ripening in the hive were shown to be due to hydrolytic enzymatic activity and to oxidation probably related to hydrogen peroxide (glucose-oxidase) activity. Acacia honeys contained propolis-derived flavonoid aglycones (468-4348 microg/100 g) and hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives (281-3249 microg/100 g). In addition, nectar-derived kaempferol glycosides were detected in all of the acacia honey samples analyzed (100-800 microg/100 g). These flavonoids were not detected in any of the different honey samples analyzed previously from different floral origins other than acacia. Finding flavonoid glycosides in honey related to floral origin is particularly relevant as it considerably enlarges the number of possible suitable markers to be used for the determination of the floral origin of honeys.     

Quantitative high-performance liquid chromatography analyses of flavonoids in Australian Eucalyptus honeys

Flavonoids of nine Australian monofloral Eucalyptus honeys have been analyzed and related to their botanical origins. The mean content of total flavonoids varied from 1.90 mg/100 g of honey for stringybark (E. globoidia) honey to 8.15 mg/100 g of honey for narrow-leaved ironbark (E. crebra) honey, suggesting that species-specific differences occur quantitatively among these Eucalyptus honeys. All of the honey samples analyzed in this study have a common flavonoid profile comprising tricetin (5,7,3',4',5'-pentahydroxyflavone), quercetin (3,5,7,3',4'-pentahydroxyflavone), and luteolin (5,7,3',4'-tetrahydroxyflavone), which, together with myricetin (3,5,7,3',4',5'-hexahydroxyflavone) and kaempferol (3,5,7,4'-tetrahydroxyflavone), were previously suggested as floral markers for European Eucalyptus honeys. Thus, flavonoid analysis could be used as an objective method for the authentication of the botanical origin of Eucalyptus honeys. Moreover, species-specific differences can also be found in the composition of honey flavonoid profiles. Among these honeys, bloodwood (E. intermedia) honey contains myricetin and tricetin as the main flavonoid compounds, whereas there is no myricetin detected in yapunyah (E. ochrophloia), narrow-leaved ironbark (E. crebra), and black box (E. largiflorens) honeys. Instead, these types of Eucalyptus honeys may contain tricetin, quercetin, and/or luteolin as their main flavonoid compounds. Compared to honeys from other geographical origins, the absence or minor presence of propolis-derived flavonoids such as pinobanksin, pinocembrin, and chrysin in Australian honeys is significant. In conclusion, these results demonstrate that a common flavonoid profile exists for all of the Eucalyptus honeys, regardless of their geographical origins; the individual species-specific floral types of Eucalyptus honey so common in Australia could be possibly differentiated by their flavonoid profile differences, either qualitatively or quantitatively or both.     

Identification of flavonoid markers for the botanical origin of Eucalyptus honey

European Eucalyptus honeys showed a common and characteristic HPLC profile in which the flavonoids myricetin (3,5,7,3',4', 5'-hexahydroxyflavone), tricetin (5,7,3',4',5'-pentahydroxyflavone), quercetin (3,5,7,3',4'-pentahydroxyflavone), luteolin (5,7,3', 4'-tetrahydroxyflavone), and kaempferol (3,5,7, 4'-tetrahydroxyflavone) were identified. Their contents, and relative amounts, in the analyzed honey samples were quite constant and supported their floral origin. In addition, ellagic acid and the propolis-derived flavonoids pinobanksin, pinocembrin, and chrysin were detected in most samples. The contents of these nonfloral phenolics were much more variable as could be expected for their propolis origin. Myricetin, tricetin, and luteolin had not been identified as floral markers in any other honey sample previously analyzed in our laboratory (chestnut, citrus, rosemary, lavender, acacia, rapeseed, sunflower, heather, lime tree, etc.) or reported in the literature, suggesting that these could be useful markers. Only in some individual heather samples produced in Portugal has tricetin previously been detected in minor amounts. These samples, however, were contaminated with Eucalyptus as revealed by their pollen analysis and the lack of tricetin or their glycosides in heather floral nectar. It remains to be established if myricetin, tricetin, and luteolin originate from Eucalyptus floral nectar where the corresponding glycosides should be present.     

Flavonoids in monospecific eucalyptus honeys from Australia

The HPLC analyses of Australian unifloral Eucalyptus honeys have shown that the flavonoids myricetin (3,5,7,3',4', 5'-hexahydroxyflavone), tricetin (5,7,3',4',5'-pentahydroxyflavone), quercetin (3,5,7,3',4'-pentahydroxyflavone), luteolin (5,7,3', 4'-tetrahydroxyflavone), and kaempferol (3,5,7, 4'-tetrahydroxyflavone) are present in all samples. These compounds were previously suggested as floral markers of European Eucalyptus honeys. The present results confirm the use of flavonoid analysis as an objective method for the botanical origin determination of eucalyptus honey. Honeys from E. camaldulensis (river red gum honey) contain tricetin as the main flavonoid marker, whereas in honeys from E. pilligaensis (mallee honey), luteolin is the main flavonoid marker, suggesting that species-specific differences can be detected with this analysis. The main difference between the flavonoid profiles of Australian and European Eucalyptus honeys is that in the Australian honeys, the propolis-derived flavonoids (pinobanksin (3,5, 7-trihydroxyflavanone), pinocembrin (5,7-dihydroxyflavanone), and chrysin (5,7-dihydroxyflavone)) are seldom found and in much smaller amounts.     

Identification of new flavonoid glycosides and flavonoid profiles to characterize rocket leafy salads (Eruca vesicaria and Diplotaxis tenuifolia)

"Rocket" is a collective name used to term some species within the Eruca and Diplotaxis genera, whose leaves are characterized by a more or less pungent taste. Different approaches have been carried out to differentiate both genera that have similar leaf morphologies. Following our research in flavonoid profiling of the Brassicaceae family using high-performance liquid chromatography/ultraviolet-diode array detection/electrospray ionization mass spectroemtry, we have investigated Eruca vesicaria and Diplotaxis tenuifolia leaf samples as new ingredients of fresh salads. The MS/MS study allowed the identification of new naturally occurring quercetin mono- and diacyl-tri-O-glucosides and the elucidation of the flavonoid glycosylation and acylation patterns. Important differences between flavonoid profiles of E. vesicaria and D. tenuifolia were observed. E. vesicaria contained kaempferol derivatives as principal compounds whereas D. tenuifolia instead accumulated quercetin derivatives. The exhaustive study of the profiling of these species could help further studies concerning the bioavailability of these flavonoids for epidemiological or clinical intervention studies because these species have considerable potential as healthy leafy salads because of the bioactive phytochemicals.     

Analysis of phenolic and other aromatic compounds in honeys by solid-phase microextraction followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

The solid-phase microextraction (SPME) followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used for the analysis of phenolic and other aromatic compounds in honey samples from different floral origin. Different parameters affecting the efficiency of the extraction, such as the type of the stationary phase of the fiber, NaCl and acetic acid addition, and extraction time, were optimized for the detection of the maximum number of compounds in the shortest analysis time. A total of 31 compounds were detected, with most of them identified and quantified by GC-MS. The principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to the data matrix; the results allowed for the differentiation between honeydew and nectar honeys on the basis of the salicylic acid concentration. It was found that this acid has a high contribution in the honeydew group (71.2-705.9 microg/100 g of honey) compared to the nectar honey group (0-47.6 microg/100 g of honey). The comparison of data in each honey group enabled us to characterize the floral source of some honeys using some aromatic compounds as markers.     

Ontogenic profiling of glucosinolates, flavonoids, and other secondary metabolites in Eruca sativa (salad rocket), Diplotaxis erucoides (wall rocket), Diplotaxis tenuifolia (wild rocket), and Bunias orientalis (Turkish rocket)

As an influence of the Mediterranean diet, rocket species such as Eruca sativa L., Diplotaxis species, and Bunias orientalis L. are eaten all over the world at different ontogenic stages in salads and soups. They are all species within the plant order Capparales (glucosinolate-containing species), and all are from the family Brassicaceae. Predominantly, the leaves of these species are eaten raw or cooked, although Eruca flowers are also consumed. There is considerable potential with raw plant material for a higher exposure to bioactive phytochemicals such as glucosinolates, their hydrolysis products, and also phenolics, flavonoids, and vitamins such as vitamin C. These compounds are susceptible to ontogenic variation, and the few published studies that have addressed this topic have been inconsistent. Thus, an ontogenic study was performed and all samples were analyzed using a previously developed robust liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry method for the identification and quantification of the major phytochemicals in all tissues of the rocket species. Seeds and roots of both Eruca and Diplotaxis contained predominantly 4-methylthiobutylglucosinolate. Leaves of Eruca and Diplotaxis contained high amounts of 4-mercaptobutylglucosinolate with lower levels of 4-methylthiobutlyglucosinolate and 4-methylsulfinylbutylglucosinolate. Flowers of Eruca and Diplotaxiscontained predominantly 4-methylsulfinylbutyl-glucosinolate. In addition, roots of both Diplotaxisspecies contained 4-hydroxybenzylglucosinolate but 4-hydroxybenzylglucosinolate was absent from roots of Eruca. Seeds and seedlings of all Eruca contained N-heterocyclic compounds but no sinapine, whereas Diplotaxis contained sinapine but not the N-heterocycles. In all tissues of B. orientalis, 4-hydroxybenzylglucosinolate and 4-methylsulfinyl-3-butenylglucosinolate were predominant. All rocket tissues, except roots, contained significant levels of polyglycosylated flavonoids, with/without hydroxycinnamoyl acylation. The core aglycones were kaempferol, quercetin, and isorhamnetin. The exception was B. orientalis, which had a negligible seed flavonoid content as compared with the other species. Anthocyanins were only detected in Eruca flowers and consisted of a complex pattern of at least 16 different anthocyanins.     

Ten-year comparison of the influence of organic and conventional crop management practices on the content of flavonoids in tomatoes

Understanding how environment, crop management, and other factors, particularly soil fertility, influence the composition and quality of food crops is necessary for the production of high-quality nutritious foods. The flavonoid aglycones quercetin and kaempferol were measured in dried tomato samples (Lycopersicon esculentum L. cv. Halley 3155) that had been archived over the period from 1994 to 2004 from the Long-Term Research on Agricultural Systems project (LTRAS) at the University of California-Davis, which began in 1993. Conventional and organic processing tomato production systems are part of the set of systems compared at LTRAS. Comparisons of analyses of archived samples from conventional and organic production systems demonstrated statistically higher levels (P < 0.05) of quercetin and kaempferol aglycones in organic tomatoes. Ten-year mean levels of quercetin and kaempferol in organic tomatoes [115.5 and 63.3 mg g(-1) of dry matter (DM)] were 79 and 97% higher than those in conventional tomatoes (64.6 and 32.06 mg g(-1) of DM), respectively. The levels of flavonoids increased over time in samples from organic treatments, whereas the levels of flavonoids did not vary significantly in conventional treatments. This increase corresponds not only with increasing amounts of soil organic matter accumulating in organic plots but also with reduced manure application rates once soils in the organic systems had reached equilibrium levels of organic matter. Well-quantified changes in tomato nutrients over years in organic farming systems have not been reported previously.     

Role of endogenous flavonoids in resistance mechanism of Vigna to aphids

Cultivated and wild species of the genus Vigna were screened for their flavonoid content. Flavonoid HPLC analyses clearly showed that cultivated lines of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) are very similar from a qualitative point of view, always showing three flavonoid aglycons: quercetin, kaempferol, and isorhamnetin. In addition, a positive relationship between resistance/susceptibility characteristics against aphids and flavonoid glycoside content of cowpea lines was found. The resistant lines showed a flavonoid content higher than that of susceptible ones. In vitro bioassays proved that, among endogenous flavonoids, quercetin and isorhamnetin possess a good inhibitory aphid reproduction rate. Flavonoid HPLC analyses of wild Vigna species supported evidence for the existence of different flavonoid chemotypes in some species of section Vigna. There are kaempferol chemotypes, kaempferol being the main aglycon detected, quercetin chemotypes, containing quercetin glycosides only, and two isorhamnetin chemotypes. When the resistance characteristics to aphids in different chemotypes of the same species were tested, it became evident that quercetin or isorhamnetin chemotypes showed a higher level of resistance compared to kaempferol chemotypes in the same species, thus demonstrating a direct involvement of quercetin or isorhamnetin in the resistance mechanism. These results can provide useful information for further studies on gene expression of resistance factors.     

Usefulness of amino acid composition to discriminate between honeydew and floral honeys. Application to honeys from a small geographic area

With the aim of finding methods that could constitute a solid alternative to melissopalynological and physicochemical analyses to determine the botanical origin (floral or honeydew) of honeys, the free amino acid content of 46 honey samples has been determined. The honeys were collected in a small geographic area of approximately 2000 km(2) in central Spain. Twenty-seven honey samples were classified as floral and 19 as honeydew according to their palynological and physicochemical analyses. The resulting data have been subjected to different multivariant analysis techniques. One hundred percent of honey samples have been correctly classified into either the floral or the honeydew groups, according to their content in glutamic acid and tryptophan. It is concluded that free amino acids are good indicators of the botanical origin of honeys, saving time compared with more tedious analyses.     

HPLC-DAD/MS characterization of flavonoids and hydroxycinnamic derivatives in turnip tops (Brassica rapa L. Subsp. sylvestris L.)

Flavonoids and hydroxycinnamic derivatives of turnip tops (Brassica rapa L. subsp. sylvestris L.) were characterized for the first time in four samples from different origins. Turnip tops exhibit a high polyphenols content (ranging from 107 to 191 mg/100 g, fresh weight) and a good antiradical activity, determined with the DPPH* test. After a liquid-liquid extraction and fractionation procedures, most flavonoids (isorhamnetin, kaempferol, and quercetin glycosides) and hydroxycinnamic derivatives were identified by means of HPLC-DAD/MS techniques. Isorhamnetin glycosides were the main flavonoid derivatives, differing from that found in the vegetables belonging to the Brassica oleracea group.     

Characterization of flavonol conjugates in immature leaves of pak choi [Brassica rapa L. Ssp. chinensis L. (Hanelt.)] by HPLC-DAD and LC-MS/MS

The flavonoid composition of immature leaves of pak choi [Brassica rapa L. ssp. chinensis L. (Hanelt.)] was investigated. Flavonol aglycone content was measured in 11 pak choi varieties, indicating significant differences (P < 0.05) in content between varieties and relatively high contents of kaempferol and isorhamnetin. Levels of quercetin ranged from 3.2 to 6.1 mg/100 g of dry weight (DW), whereas levels of isorhamnetin and kaempferol were significantly higher (8.1-35.1 and 36.0-102.6 mg/100 g of DW, respectively). A large number of glycoside and hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives of quercetin, kaempferol, and isorhamnetin were identified in cv. 'Shanghai' by LC/UV-DAD/ESI-MS/MS. The UV-DAD data allowed identification of hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives, but detailed MS/MS fragmentations were required for the structure elucidation. Pak choi could be a potentially important source of dietary flavonols, in particular, kaempferol and isorhamnetin.     

Botanical origin causes changes in nutritional profile and antioxidant activity of fermented products obtained from honey

Honey as rich source of enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidants serves as health-promoting nutrient in the human body. Here, we present the first time a comparative study of nutritional profiles (e.g., acidities, sugar, organic acid profile, total polyphenolic, flavonoid content) for different unifloral, multifloral honeys and their fermented products, in correlation with their antioxidant activity. Additionally, an optimized method for HPLC separation of organic acids from honey was established. The total phenolic content of honey samples varied widely among the honey types compared to fermented products. High amounts of total flavonoids were quantified in heather honey, followed by raspberry, multifloral, black locust, and linden honey. A positive correlation between the content of polyphenols, flavonoids, and antioxidant activity was observed in honey samples. After fermentation, the flavonoid content of dark honey fermented products decreased significantly. Black locust and linden honeys are more suitable for fermentation because the decrease in antioxidant substances is less pronounced.     

Homogentisic acid: a phenolic acid as a marker of strawberry-tree (Arbutus unedo) honey.

Analysis of organic acids in strawberry-tree (Arbutus unedo) honey showed the presence of an unknown acid as the main constituent. This compound was isolated and identified as homogentisic acid (2, 5-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid) by MS and NMR techniques. Its average content in honey was 378 +/- 92 mg/kg. Analysis of nectar confirmed the floral origin of the compound found in honey. Since this acid was not detected in any of the different monofloral honeys, it could be used as a marker of strawberry-tree (A. unedo) honey.     

Solid-phase extraction and LC-MS analysis of pyrrolizidine alkaloids in honeys

Strong-cation-exchange, solid-phase extraction of pyrrolizidine alkaloids and their N-oxides from honey samples was followed by reduction of the N-oxides and subsequent analysis of total pyrrolizidine alkaloids using high-performance liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry. A limited survey of 63 preprocessing samples of honey, purposefully biased toward honeys attributed to floral sources known to produce pyrrolizidine alkaloids, demonstrated levels of pyrrolizidine alkaloids up to approximately 2000 parts per billion (ppb) in a sample attributed to Echium plantagineum. Up to 800 ppb pyrrolizidine alkaloids was detected in some honeys not attributed by the collector to any pyrrolizidine alkaloid-producing floral source. No pyrrolizidine alkaloids were detected in approximately 30% of the samples in this limited study, while some honeys showed the copresence of pyrrolizidine alkaloids from multiple floral sources such as E. plantagineum and Heliotropium europaeum. In addition, retail samples of blended honeys (with no labeling to suggest that pyrrolizidine alkaloid-producing floral sources were used in the blends) have been shown to contain up to approximately 250 ppb pyrrolizidine alkaloids.     

Flavonol profiles of Vitis vinifera red grapes and their single-cultivar wines

The main flavonols found in seven widespread Vitis vinifera red grape cultivars include the 3-glucosides and 3-glucuronides of myricetin and quercetin and the 3-glucosides of kaempferol and isorhamnetin. In addition, the methoxylated trisubstituted flavonols, laricitrin and syringetin, were predominantly found as 3-glucosides. As minority flavonols, the results suggest the detection of the 3-galactosides of kaempferol and laricitrin, the 3-glucuronide of kaempferol, and the 3-(6' '-acetyl)glucosides of quercetin and syringetin. The flavonol profiles based on the eight above-mentioned flavonols allowed the cultivar differentiation of the grape samples. With regard to flavonol biosynthesis in the berry skin, quercetin 3-glucuronide predominated at véraison, followed by quercetin 3-glucoside, and only trace amounts of trisubstituted flavonols were detected. The proportion of quercetin 3-glucoside remained almost constant during berry ripening, whereas the proportion of quercetin 3-glucuronide decreased and the other flavonols, especially myricetin 3-glucoside, increased their importance. In wines, flavonol 3-glycosides coexisted with their corresponding free aglycones released by hydrolysis. The presence of laricitrin, syringetin, and laricitrin 3-glucoside in red wines is reported here for the first time. The extent of hydrolysis was widely variable among wines made from the same grape cultivar, and the results suggest the influence of the type of aglycone and glycoside on the rate of hydrolysis. Due to hydrolysis, the differentiation of single-cultivar wines gave acceptable results only when aglycone-type flavonol profiles were used.     

Pinostrobin from honey and Thai ginger (Boesenbergia pandurata): a potent flavonoid inducer of mammalian phase 2 chemoprotective and antioxidant enzymes

Over 60 different samples comprising 35 distinct honeys were evaluated for their ability to induce mammalian phase 2 detoxication enzymes using a microtiter plate assay of quinone reductase (QR) induction with murine hepatoma cells in microtiter plates. This assay has been used extensively to identify and isolate a variety of natural and synthetic inducers from plants. All 35 honeys examined induced elevations of mammalian QR activity ranging from 153 to 2155 units/g with a mean of 630 and a median of 417 units/g. The concentrations for doubling the QR activity (CD) of certain of the prominent flavonoids found in honey were also assessed (pinostrobin, 0.5 microM; pinocembrin, 110 microM; chrysin, 25 microM) and compared to those of related, more commonly described flavonoids such as quercetin (2.7 microM) and myricetin (58 microM). On the basis of the extremely high QR inducing potency of one of these compounds, pinostrobin (5-hydroxy-7-methoxyflavanone), a bioassay-guided search was conducted which revealed a dietary source of pinostrobin, Boesenbergia pandurata (fingerroot), with extraordinarily high ability to induce mammalian phase 2 detoxication enzymes. Although the QR inducing activity of buckwheat honeys was 2155 +/- 951 units/g (n = 8 samples), which is less than 10% of the average values obtained from fresh broccoli, the potency of fingerroot rhizomes (ca. 110,000 units/g) is even higher than that of broccoli and the potencies of fingerroot oil and powdered rhizome (ca. 500,000 units/g) rival that of broccoli sprouts.     

Classification of Italian honeys by 2D HR-NMR

The importance of honey has been recently increased because of its nutrient and therapeutic effects, but the adulteration of honey in terms of botanical origin has increased, too. The floral origin of honeys is usually determined using melisso-palynological analysis and organoleptic characteristics, but the application of these techniques requires some expertise. A number of papers have confirmed the possibility of characterizing honey samples by selected chemical parameters. In this study high-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance (HR-NMR) and multivariate statistical analysis methods were used to identify and classify honeys of five different floral sources. The 71 honey samples (robinia, chestnut, citrus, eucalyptus, polyfloral) were analyzed by HR-NMR using both 1H NMR and heteronuclear multiple bond correlation spectroscopy (HMBC). Spectral data were analyzed by application of unsupervised and supervised pattern recognition and multivariate statistical techniques such as principal component analysis (PCA) and general discriminant analysis (GDA). The use of 1H-(13)C HMBC coupled with appropriate statistical analysis seems to be an efficient technique for the classification of honeys.     

Determination of flavonoids and phenolics and their distribution in almonds

Limited information is available concerning the qualitative and quantitative composition of polyphenolic compounds, especially flavonoids, in almonds. We determined total phenols, flavonoids, and phenolic acids in California almond (Prunus dulcis) skins and kernels among the principal almond varieties (Butte, Carmel, Fritz, Mission, Monterey, Nonpareil, Padre, and Price) with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)/electrochemical detection and UV detection. Liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry under identical HPLC conditions was utilized to verify identities of the predominant flavonoids and phenolic acids. Total phenols ranged from 127 (Fritz) to 241 (Padre) mg gallic acid equivalents/100 g of fresh weight. The analyses were compiled to produce a data set of 18 flavonoids and three phenolic acids. The predominant flavonoids were isorhamnetin-3-O-rutinoside and isorhamnetin-3-O-glucoside (in combination), catechin, kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside, epicatechin, quercetin-3-O-galactoside, and isorhamnetin-3-O-galactoside at 16.81, 1.93, 1.17, 0.85, 0.83, and 0.50 mg/100 g of fresh weight almonds, respectively. Using the existing approach of calculating only the aglycone form of flavonoids for use in the U.S. Department of Agriculture nutrient database, whole almonds would provide the most prevalent aglycones of isorhamnetin at 11.70 (3.32), kaempferol at 0.60 (0.17), catechin at 1.93 (0.55), quercetin at 0.72 (0.20), and epicatechin at 0.85 (0.24) mg/100 g of fresh weight (mg/oz serving), respectively. These data can lead to a better understanding of the mechanisms of action underlying the relationship between almond consumption and health-related outcomes and provide values for whole and blanched almonds suitable for inclusion in nutrient databases.     

Identification and quantification of glucosinolates in sprouts derived from seeds of wild Eruca sativa L. (salad rocket) and Diplotaxis tenuifolia L. (wild rocket) from diverse geographical locations

The Brassicaceae rocket species Eruca sativa L. (salad rocket) and Diplotaxis tenuifolia L. (wild rocket) are consumed throughout the world in salads, predominantly the leaves but also the flowers and more recently the sprouts (seedlings). Ontogenic profiling of glucosinolates and flavonoids in plants derived from commercial seed of these species has previously been done, but no studies have been conducted to determine how geographical origin affects glucosinolate composition in rocket species. Seeds from wild E. sativa L. and D. tenuifolia L. from diverse regions of the world were obtained from gene banks and grown under controlled conditions. Sprouts were harvested when they would normally be harvested for consumption, and glucosinolates were extracted and profiled in these accessions. All of the sprouts from Italian E. sativa L. had consistently high total glucosinolate content, with only a few exceptions, and also the highest percentage contents of 4-mercaptobutylglucosinolate. In contrast, sprouts produced from Central and Eastern European seeds had a much higher percentage of 4-methylthiobutylglucosinolate. With a single exception, Tunisia, all sprouts produced from North African seeds had very high 4-methylthiobutylglucosinolate contents. The single sample from China had a high total glucosinolate content and glucosinolate profile that was very similar to the accessions from Uzbekistan and Pakistan. All of the D. tenuifolia L. sprouts had consistently high total glucosinolate contents, and a high percentage of this was 4-mercaptobutylglucosinolate. This glucosinolate variation in levels and profiles of the rockets can be used for genetic studies, selected breeding, and human intervention studies.