Content, bioavailability and health effects of trace elements and bioactive components in organic agricultural systems

The main objective is to study the impact of relevant organic agricultural practices on the ability of plants to assimilate trace elements from the soil and to synthesise bioactive secondary metabolites and antioxidant vitamins with health promoting effects. Moreover, in comparison with conventionally cultivated crops, the possible improved uptake rate of bioactive compounds in humans and animal models will be studied.

The specific objectives are:

1. To screen the content of trace elements together with other relevant bioactive constituents in a wide selection of commonly consumed organic crops. Multivariate methods of data analysis will be employed to differentiate between the agricultural systems.

2. To characterise and optimise the content of trace elements and bioactive compounds in crop plants harvested from two well-defined organic cultivation systems that include combinations of plant species, soil type, crop rotations and fertilizers.

3. To assess the bioavailability of the bioactive compounds in human intervention studies employing prepared diets based on the crops produced within the systems.

4. To study the effects of foods on health and well being after long-term consumption using the rat as a model.