Nutrients and Secondary Metabolites Analysis of Horticulture Crops

Horticulture crops possess numerous functional properties with the potential to yield nutritional constituents or nutraceuticals, making them exemplary examples of edible plant harvests. Nutrients and secondary metabolites derived from various parts of horticulture crops exhibit several health-promoting properties. Nutrients, also referred to as primary metabolites, encompass carbohydrates, fatty acids, amino acids, and vitamins. These play crucial roles in various biological processes such as protein synthesis, hormone synthesis, respiration, photosynthesis, and growth and development. In contrast, secondary metabolites, including phenolic/polyphenolic compounds, alkaloids, terpenoids, and sulfur-containing compounds, do not directly contribute to the development and growth of plants. Instead, they serve as defenders against microorganisms, function as signal molecules under stress conditions, attract pollinators, and determine the color of different horticulture crops. Consequently, the beneficial effects of the diverse nutrients and secondary metabolites present in horticulture crops for their health-promoting properties continue to garner increasing attention. Furthermore, there is a growing interest in advancing techniques for the extraction, separation, and quantification of these valuable bioactive components from horticulture crops. This is to facilitate their use as value-added ingredients in the nutraceutical and food industries. This chapter provides comprehensive information on advanced analytical techniques for the analysis of nutrients and secondary metabolites in different horticulture crops.