 "Designing Foods for Health" is a signature research program within the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station (TAES) and the Vegetable & Fruit Improvement Center (VFIC). The long-term goal is to elucidate genetic and environmental components affecting fruit quality and plant growth, while developing improved varieties, production practices and packaging for maintaining the highest level of these compounds.
Specific objectives will investigate carrots, citrus, melons, onions, peaches, pecans, peppers, plums, potatoes, and watermelons. The target bioactive compounds include anthocyanins, ascorbic acid, calcium, carotenoids, flavonoids, limonoids, phenolic compounds, and sugars.
Interdisciplinary projects of enhancing these bioactive compounds through conventional breeding and genetic engineering, pre-and post-harvest practices and their role in human health are necessary to achieve the long-term goal of this research program. The following are projects funded by this program.
Genetics (Breeding, Variety Development, Plant Physiology, Molecular Biology and Genomics)
2001-2002
Breeding Melons and Peppers for Enhanced Levels of Important Antioxidants, Flavonoids and Carotenoids
Preservation and Enhancement of Nutritional Composition of Melon Through Delayed Ripening/Senescence
Changes of Pungency in Onion Bulbs during Maturation and by Field-curing Methods
Strategies to Enhance Quality of New Vegetables under Semi-arid Environments
Enhancing Tomato Disease Resistance and Nutritional Quality
Influence of stress on phytochemical content
2003-2004
A Survey of Carotenoid Profiles in Fruits and Vegetables and Screening of Breeding Lines for Developing New High Carotenoid Cultivars
Enhancing Carotenoids with Increased Antioxidant Activity in Watermelon
Impact of Altering the Calcium Content of Potatoes Through Genetic Engineering
Development of Calcium-rich Vegetables and Fruit
Marker Assisted Introgression of Genes, which Regulate Carotenoid, Flavonoid, and Ascorbic Acid Synthesis, into Commercial Quality Peppers and Melons
Strategies to Enhance Product Quality of Genetically Improved Vegetables
Development of Reliable PCR-based Molecular Markers for Allelic Selection of Red and Yellow Bulb Colors in Onions (Allium cepa)
2004-2005
Development of New Melon Varieties with Enhanced Nutritional and Flavor-related Compounds
Improving the Phytonutrient Content of Vegetables and Fruits through Modified Pre-Harvest Cultural Practices
Enhancing Carotenoid Content of Watermelon
Strategies to Enhance Quality and Phytochemical Content of Specialty Peppers
Analysis of Potatoes Expressing an Arabidopsis Calcium Transporter
Metabolic Engineering of Flavonoids to Improve Human Health in Vegetable and Fruit
Genetic Approaches to Enhance the Calcium in Tomato Fruit
Health Benefits (Phytochemicals, Nutraceuticals, In vitro and In vivo Efficacy Studies)
2001-2002
Phytochemicals in Stone Fruit and the Development of Healthier Cultivars for the Niche Market
Citrus Limonoid Effects on Plasma Cholesterol Reduction
Citrus Limonoids: Increasing Importance to Human Health
2003-2004
Activity-Based Component Analysis of the Phenolics Found in Plum and Peach
Quercetin as an in vivo inhibitor of oxidative stress
Component Analysis of the Phenolic Compounds in Red-Fleshed Peaches and Plums
Citrus Functional Components and their Antioxidant Activity
2004-2005
Research on the Health Benefits of Naringin and Naringenin
Flavonoids and Limonoids Effect on Bone Homeostasis and Antioxidant Capacity
Integrative Study of Quercetin Effects on iNOS, Cyclooxgenase and Lipoxygenase Enzymes
Food Processing and Quality (Chemical Analyis, Post Harvest, Packaging)
2003-2004
Post-harvest Abiotic Stress Treatments to Enhance Nutraceutical Antioxidant Compounds in Fruits and Vegetables
Exploring the Use of New Crop Varieties with High Phytochemical Content in the Development of Fresh-Cut Products
2004-2005
Antioxidant Activity of Pecan Kernels as Affected by Cultivar and Storage Conditions
Developing Packaging Technology for Fresh-Cut Fruits and Vegetables
Developing Phytochemical Supplements of Anthocyanins, Flavonoids, and Carotenoids from Onions, Carrots, Tomatoes, and Watermelons |
