Component analysis of nutritionally rich chloroplasts: recovery from conventional and unconventional green plant species

A study of the literature indicates that chloroplasts synthesise a range of molecules, many of which have nutritional value for humans, but the nutritional credentials of chloroplasts recovered from plant cells are not established. Chloroplast-rich-fractions (CRFs) were prepared from green plant species and the macro- and micro-nutrient composition compared with the whole leaf materials (WLMs). The results indicated that, on a dry weight basis, CRF material from a range of green biomass was enriched in lipids and proteins, and in a range of micronutrients compared with the WLM. Vitamins E, pro-vitamin A, and lutein were all greater in CRF preparations. Of the minerals, iron was most notably concentrated in CRF. Spinach CRFs possessed the highest alpha-tocopherol [62 mg 100 g(-1), dry weight (DW)], beta-carotene (336 mg 100 g(-1) DW) and lutein (341 mg 100 g(-1) DW) contents, whilst grass CRFs had the highest concentration of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) (69.5 mg g(-1)). The higher concentrations of alpha-tocopherol, beta-carotene, lutein, ALA and trace minerals (Fe and Mn) in CRFs suggested their potential use as concentrated ingredients in food formulations deficient in these nutrients.