Introduction

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Abstract
The concept of what benefits foods can provide is changing from its previous emphasis on health maintenance (through recommended nutrient allowances and dietary guidelines) to a focus on the promising use of foods to promote optimal health and reduce the risk of chronic diseases (American Dietetic Association 1995). A significant direction of the effort to understand the health benefits of plant foods and the basis for the creation of functional foods, also called nutraceuticals and designer foods, is the characterization of their physiologically active constituents, phytochemicals. It has long been appreciated that food plants contain significant levels of low molecular weight, secondary metabolites with important roles for plant protection (Rhodes 1996). It seems likely that much of the anticipated success in developing foods for which scientifically valid health claims can be proffered will actually derive from basic science studies with a goal of generating information about these components.

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