A preharvest finishing procedure for Lemna to produce high levels of zeaxanthin that is retained post-high-light exposure

Development of a productive, nutritious, and low-input food source is needed for humanity's expanding population on Earth and for long-duration crewed space missions. The exceptionally protein- and micronutrient-rich members of the aquatic plant family Lemnaceae are uniquely suited for both pur...

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Main Authors: Marina López-Pozo, William W. Adams, III, Maureen McNamara, Barbara Demmig-Adams
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-12-01
Series:Future Foods
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266683352400220X
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author Marina López-Pozo
William W. Adams, III
Maureen McNamara
Barbara Demmig-Adams
author_facet Marina López-Pozo
William W. Adams, III
Maureen McNamara
Barbara Demmig-Adams
author_sort Marina López-Pozo
collection DOAJ
description Development of a productive, nutritious, and low-input food source is needed for humanity's expanding population on Earth and for long-duration crewed space missions. The exceptionally protein- and micronutrient-rich members of the aquatic plant family Lemnaceae are uniquely suited for both purposes. We here introduce a protocol to accumulate large quantities of the carotenoid zeaxanthin that are retained post-high-light exposure. The function of the essential human micronutrients zeaxanthin, lutein, vitamin E (α-tocopherol), and pro-vitamin A (β-carotene) are briefly reviewed. Attention is given to the role of zeaxanthin in opposing oxidants (reactive oxygen species), the production of which is further enhanced by space radiation. We report a new preharvest finishing procedure – sudden transfer of Lemna plants grown in low light (200 µmol photons m-2 s-1) to high light (1000 µmol photons m-2 s-1) for six hours, which rapidly increased and stabilized zeaxanthin content. Unlike terrestrial crops, Lemna possessed a uniquely high protein content when grown in low light and did not experience any adverse effects of the abrupt five-fold increase in light intensity. These findings provide additional justification for Lemnaceae as food crops with applications on Earth as well as for future long-duration human space missions.
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spelling doaj-art-baf34fb9e7b44259ad6802c845e63f2b2024-12-18T08:53:59ZengElsevierFuture Foods2666-83352024-12-0110100517A preharvest finishing procedure for Lemna to produce high levels of zeaxanthin that is retained post-high-light exposureMarina López-Pozo0William W. Adams, III1Maureen McNamara2Barbara Demmig-Adams3Corresponding author.; Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder 80309-0334, CO, USADepartment of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder 80309-0334, CO, USADepartment of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder 80309-0334, CO, USADepartment of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder 80309-0334, CO, USADevelopment of a productive, nutritious, and low-input food source is needed for humanity's expanding population on Earth and for long-duration crewed space missions. The exceptionally protein- and micronutrient-rich members of the aquatic plant family Lemnaceae are uniquely suited for both purposes. We here introduce a protocol to accumulate large quantities of the carotenoid zeaxanthin that are retained post-high-light exposure. The function of the essential human micronutrients zeaxanthin, lutein, vitamin E (α-tocopherol), and pro-vitamin A (β-carotene) are briefly reviewed. Attention is given to the role of zeaxanthin in opposing oxidants (reactive oxygen species), the production of which is further enhanced by space radiation. We report a new preharvest finishing procedure – sudden transfer of Lemna plants grown in low light (200 µmol photons m-2 s-1) to high light (1000 µmol photons m-2 s-1) for six hours, which rapidly increased and stabilized zeaxanthin content. Unlike terrestrial crops, Lemna possessed a uniquely high protein content when grown in low light and did not experience any adverse effects of the abrupt five-fold increase in light intensity. These findings provide additional justification for Lemnaceae as food crops with applications on Earth as well as for future long-duration human space missions.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266683352400220XAntioxidantsDuckweedInflammationMicronutrientsProteinZeaxanthin
spellingShingle Marina López-Pozo
William W. Adams, III
Maureen McNamara
Barbara Demmig-Adams
A preharvest finishing procedure for Lemna to produce high levels of zeaxanthin that is retained post-high-light exposure
Future Foods
Antioxidants
Duckweed
Inflammation
Micronutrients
Protein
Zeaxanthin
title A preharvest finishing procedure for Lemna to produce high levels of zeaxanthin that is retained post-high-light exposure
title_full A preharvest finishing procedure for Lemna to produce high levels of zeaxanthin that is retained post-high-light exposure
title_fullStr A preharvest finishing procedure for Lemna to produce high levels of zeaxanthin that is retained post-high-light exposure
title_full_unstemmed A preharvest finishing procedure for Lemna to produce high levels of zeaxanthin that is retained post-high-light exposure
title_short A preharvest finishing procedure for Lemna to produce high levels of zeaxanthin that is retained post-high-light exposure
title_sort preharvest finishing procedure for lemna to produce high levels of zeaxanthin that is retained post high light exposure
topic Antioxidants
Duckweed
Inflammation
Micronutrients
Protein
Zeaxanthin
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266683352400220X
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