Chapter 8
Mustard (Brassica nigra) Seed
H. K. S. De Zoysa and Viduranga Y. Waisundara
Abstract Brassica nigra plays an important role in global agriculture, horticulture,
health and wellness aspects due to its culinary and medicinal values. B. nigra plant is
also grown to obtain oil for industrial purposes as well as a nutritionally valued seed
meal. The seed primarily contains oligosaccharides belonging to the raffinose
family; amino acids; fatty acids such as palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, linolenic,
eicosenoic and erucic acids; vitamins; minerals (mostly iron); anti-nutritional factors
(in particular, enzyme inhibitors); glucosinolates; and a wide range of phenolic
compounds. B. nigra seeds have demonstrated to impart antidiabetic, anticonvulsant, antithrombotic, antibacterial, antifungal and antioxidant activities, as well as
immunomodulatory and inflammatory effects. It is also recognized to provide
protection against factors leading to gastrointestinal cancer. Given the presence of
antioxidants in B. nigra seeds, it may be hypothesized as being useful for cardiac
disorders as well. When it comes to safety aspects, B. nigra seeds contain storage
proteins of the 2S albumin class and, hence, have been the cause food allergies which
were mostly reported in Europe. During the last two decades, rapid developments
have taken place in the agricultural breeding of B. nigra owing to the advancements
in plant biology and biotechnology applications. These developments facilitated the
adoption of B. nigra plant models which are of economic importance and commercial value.
Keywords Black mustard seed · Brassicaceae · Condiments · Food ·
Glucosinolates · Oilseeds
H. K. S. De Zoysa
Department of Bioprocess Technology, Faculty of Technology, Rajarata University of Sri
Lanka, Mihintale, Sri Lanka
V. Y. Waisundara (*)
Australian College of Business & Technology—Kandy Campus, Kandy, Sri Lanka
e-mail: viduranga@learning.acbt.lk
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
B. Tanwar, A. Goyal (eds.), Oilseeds: Health Attributes and Food Applications,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-4194-0_8
191
Mustard (Brassica nigra) Seed
H. K. S. De Zoysa and Viduranga Y. Waisundara
Abstract Brassica nigra plays an important role in global agriculture, horticulture,
health and wellness aspects due to its culinary and medicinal values. B. nigra plant is
also grown to obtain oil for industrial purposes as well as a nutritionally valued seed
meal. The seed primarily contains oligosaccharides belonging to the raffinose
family; amino acids; fatty acids such as palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, linolenic,
eicosenoic and erucic acids; vitamins; minerals (mostly iron); anti-nutritional factors
(in particular, enzyme inhibitors); glucosinolates; and a wide range of phenolic
compounds. B. nigra seeds have demonstrated to impart antidiabetic, anticonvulsant, antithrombotic, antibacterial, antifungal and antioxidant activities, as well as
immunomodulatory and inflammatory effects. It is also recognized to provide
protection against factors leading to gastrointestinal cancer. Given the presence of
antioxidants in B. nigra seeds, it may be hypothesized as being useful for cardiac
disorders as well. When it comes to safety aspects, B. nigra seeds contain storage
proteins of the 2S albumin class and, hence, have been the cause food allergies which
were mostly reported in Europe. During the last two decades, rapid developments
have taken place in the agricultural breeding of B. nigra owing to the advancements
in plant biology and biotechnology applications. These developments facilitated the
adoption of B. nigra plant models which are of economic importance and commercial value.
Keywords Black mustard seed · Brassicaceae · Condiments · Food ·
Glucosinolates · Oilseeds
H. K. S. De Zoysa
Department of Bioprocess Technology, Faculty of Technology, Rajarata University of Sri
Lanka, Mihintale, Sri Lanka
V. Y. Waisundara (*)
Australian College of Business & Technology—Kandy Campus, Kandy, Sri Lanka
e-mail: viduranga@learning.acbt.lk
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
B. Tanwar, A. Goyal (eds.), Oilseeds: Health Attributes and Food Applications,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-4194-0_8
191