Effect of organic reducing agents and ferrous ion on thioglucosidase activity of Crambe abyssinica seed

The addition of L-ascorbate or 2-mercaptoethanol to aged crambe seed meal tends to restore the fresh meal pattern of epi-progoitrin hydrolysis to nitriles instead of (R)-goitrin. Neither of these reducing agents has an effect on the breakdown of epi-progoitrin to goitrin by an insoluble particulate thioglucosidase from crambe meal. The addition of ferrous ion to the insoluble particles results in the conversion of epi-progoitrin to (2S)-1-cyano-2-hydroxy-3-butene instead of (R)-goitrin over a range from pH 3.9 to 6.7.