Glucosinolates are a large group of plant secondary metabolites with nutritional effects, and are mainly found in cruciferous plants. After ingestion, glucosinolates could be partially absorbed in their intact form through the gastrointestinal mucosa. However, the largest fraction is metabolized in the gut lumen. When cruciferous are consumed without processing, myrosinase enzyme present in these plants, hydrolyzes the glucosinolates in the proximal part of the gastrointestinal tract to various metabolites such as isothiocyanates, nitriles, oxazolidine-2-thiones and indole-3-carbinols. When cruciferous are cooked before consumption, myrosinase is inactivated and glucosinolates transit to the colon where they are hydrolyzed by the intestinal microbiota. Numerous factors such as storage time, temperature, and atmosphere packaging, along with inactivation processes of myrosinase are influencing the bioavailability of glucosinolates and their breakdown products. This review paper summarizes the assimilation, absorption, and elimination of these molecules, as well as the impact of processing on their bioavailability.

Electrospinning is considered a promising technology for fabricating ultrafine fibers via the application of electrostatic repulsive forces. Electrospun nanofibers produced via emulsion electrospinning are widely used as delivery systems to encapsulate bioactive compounds and drugs in food and pharmaceuticals, respectively. Emulsion electrospinning has also gained significant interest for the production of vehicles for sustained and controlled release. There are several parameters affecting the properties of fabricated fibers including the type of emulsion, emulsion composition, electric field strength, conductivity of solution, surface tension, electrode configuration, solution cooling time, dissolution temperature, and solution flow rate; therefore, all these parameters should be precisely controlled to obtain optimum results. Some of the advantages of these fibers are the protection of encapsulated materials from environmental conditions, room temperature processes, release rate control and high loading efficiency. This study presents an overview of the emulsion electrospinning method, its mechanism of action and its applications in both the food and pharmaceutical fields.