Bitter taste, Brussels sprout

VAN DOORN H E, VAN DER KRUK G C, VAN HOLST G-J, RAAIJMAKERS-RUIJS N C M E, POSTMA E, GROENEWEG B and JONGEN w H F (1998) The glucosinolates sinigrin and progoitrin are important determinants for taste preference and bitterness of Brussels sprouts , J Sci Food Agric, 78 30-38. 

There are 3-15 mg/kg of 5-vinyloxazolidine-2-thione in sliced turnips. Direct intake of thiooxazolidones by humans is unlikely since the vegetable is generally consumed in cooked form. Consequently, the myrosinase enzyme is inactivated and there is no release of goitrogenic compounds. However, brussels sprouts are exceptions, as higher amounts (70-110 mg/kg) of bitter tasting goitrin is formed from progoitrin... 

The bitter taste of the extraction meal and flour from rapeseeds Brassica napus, Brassicaceae) is caused by sinapine (present as sinapine chloride) and its components choline chloride and sinapic acid, which show about 80% of the sinapine bitterness. Goitrin may also act as a bitter substance as in some Brassica vegetables (e.g. in Brussels sprouts). 

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