During the last two years, my lab has been studying functional foods, their properties and composition, focusing mainly on oil crops. Today’s increasing customer demand for healthier food, also playing a major key-role in food selection, sets a new challenge to agriculture, to produce not just more food, but also food with higher nutritional values.

One important functional food in Israel is olive oil, often consumed for its proven health benefits. In our research, we use analytical chemistry and biochemical tools to study the effects of saline water irrigation on olive oil quality parameters, as this practice is becoming more common.

Another example is that of sesame, which used to be grown locally and is now re-considered as a local field-crop. In sesame, we study the effects of fertilization regime on oil and grains- the oil being a staple food in the Far East, and the grains being used worldwide for confection, and locally for sesame paste (tahini).

In jojoba oil, we have been developing standard quality parameters, in cooperation with the Israeli industry. Israel produces ca. 30% of global jojoba production, for which there is a high demand, mainly by the cosmetics industry. We have also been characterizing some new and promising Israeli almond varieties, to learn more about their health-related phytochemical composition, and grant them an added-value in the markets due to their improved health-related composition. Other projects include studying the effects of fertilization and growth area on teff grain health-promoting properties, being of interest as a gluten free cereal rich in iron and essential amino and fatty acids. We are also involved in an innovative study, suggesting that agro-ecological practices used in the filed might induce some functional traits in leafy greens.

In potatoes, we have an interesting project in which we identify potato pathogens by their volatile signature, which might have practical implications in potato postharvest storage. All projects are done in a close collaboration with leading researchers in Gilat research center and in ARO, in plant sciences and soil water and environmental sciences, breeders and growers.