Antinutritional compounds in food and their targeting methods to ensurenutritional security

Anti-nutritional factors are the compounds found in most food substances which are poisonous tohumans or in some ways limit the availability of nutrient to the body. Anti-nutritional factors are presentin different food substances in varying amounts, depending on the kind of food. Many anti-nutrients(oxalate, phytate, etc.) and toxic substances (cyanide, nitrate, phenols, etc.) are present in many plantsand vegetables. Anti-nutrients in foods are responsible for deleterious effects related to the absorptionof nutrients and micronutrients. However, some anti-nutrients may exert beneficial health effects at lowconcentrations. For example, phytic acid, lectins, tannins, saponins, amylase inhibitors and proteaseinhibitors have been shown to reduce the availability of nutrients and cause growth inhibition. However,when used at low levels phytate, lectin, tannins, amylase inhibitors and saponins have also been shownto reduce the blood glucose and insulin responses to starchy foods and/or the plasma cholesterol andtriglyceride. Anti-nutrients are chemical substances which reduces the maximum utilization of nutrientsespecially proteins, vitamins, and minerals, thus preventing optimal exploitation of the nutrients presentin a food and decreasing the nutritive value. Anti-nutrients can be divided into two groups: heat-stablegroup-phytic acid, tannins, alkaloids, saponins, non-protein amino acids etc. and heat labile groupinclude lectins, cynogenic glycosides, protease inhibitors and Toxic amino acids etc. Due to the presenceof several anti-nutritional factors, legumes possess low protein digestibility. Most of the toxic andantinutrient effects of these compounds in plants could be removed by several processing methods suchas soaking, germination, boiling, autoclaving, fermentation, genetic manipulation and other processingmethods, but extensive research is still needed to discover elimination methods for heat stableantinutrients present in various food without altering the nutritional value of food.