an overview of a process for producing a sulforaphane - containing nutritional supplement is represented in fig1 . the process is microbiologically safe and yields a durable natural formula that contains sulforaphane prior to be ingested by an individual , and is capable of delivering benefits to the individual when ingested . fig1 and the following discussion will make specific reference to the production of sulforaphane from broccoli sprouts , though it is foreseeable that the steps disclosed below are applicable to the production of sulforaphane from other cruciferous vegetables ( brassicaceae ). as outlined in fig1 , broccoli seeds are preferably sanitized before being planted to grow broccoli sprouts . as used herein , the term broccoli sprouts will refer to new growth from seed germination , for example , a plant that is a few ( e . g ., three to four ) days old . after harvest , the sprouts are preferably washed and dried , for example , to reduce the presence of bacteria on the sprouts . the sprouts are then combined with ingredients that , in investigations leading to the present invention , were shown to trigger a lactic fermentation that transforms glucosinolate contained in the sprouts to sulforaphane . fermentation produces sulforaphane without requiring chewing or otherwise physically breaking up the sprouts to make the glucosinolate available and without the requirement for contacting and reacting the sprouts with myrosinase . according to a particular but nonlimiting embodiment of the invention , the broccoli sprouts are combined with multiple strains of lactobacillus , which are part of the lactic acid bacteria ( lab ) group and known as probiotics . in combination , lactobacilli strains employed by the process have been found to trigger a lactic fermentation that transforms glucosinolate to sulforaphane , yielding a sulforaphane - containing product (“ supplement ”). the fermentation has been successfully conducted in anaerobic and dark environments ( i . e ., shielded from and preferably in the absence of natural and artificial lighting ) at room temperatures ( for example , about 20 ° c .). the fermentation step has been successfully conducted in manmade containers , and is believed will occur within a wide variety of container . as such , the process results in the presence of sulforaphane in the supplement , instead of sulforaphane becoming available in the human gut ( gastrointestinal tract ) after consumption of the supplement . the supplement can be considered to be a sulforaphane - probiotics hybrid product having notable nutritional benefits , derived in part from vitamins and minerals that are naturally present in the supplement as a result of being present in the broccoli sprouts from which the supplement was produced . the reaction that forms the sulforaphane does not require that the sulforaphane - containing supplement is produced in the form of a pill or powder . instead , the supplement produced by the fermentation process can remain in the form of a consumer food item , in other words , a food item that can be directly ingested by an individual instead of being further processed , for example , to extract the sulforaphane for consumption as a concentrated supplement . such a food item can be essentially fermented broccoli sprouts that can be packaged for consumption as a salad , as an ingredient to a salad , sandwich , soup , etc ., as a condiment , or added to a processed food product such as a snack , yogurt , drink , etc . in view of the above , though referred to as a supplement , the fermented broccoli sprouts can be made available as food items in a variety of physical forms . in addition to consumer food items , the supplement may be processed and packaged for use by medical personnel , nutritionalists , etc ., in a variety of industries and practices , for example , as a pill , powder , etc ., for use in pharmaceuticals , nutraceuticals , preventative medicines , food processors , etc . in each case , the ultimate intent is for the supplement to be consumed by an individual , namely , ingested through the mouth and into the gastrointestinal tract . the supplement can be particularly beneficial to individuals with digestive or other health issues . the shelf - life of the supplement is believed to be several months at temperatures over a range of about 10 to about 15 ° c . in a particular investigation , organic broccoli sprouts germinated over three days were washed three times in non - chlorinated purified water , after which the following twelve selected strains of lactobacilli were added : b . bifidum , b . lactis , b . infantis , b . longum , l . acidophilus , l . brevis , l . bulgaricus , l . paracasei , l . plantarum , l . rhamnosus , l . salivaricus , and streptococcus thermophilus . these strains were chosen on the basis of having known physiological benefits and antimicrobial capabilities . sea salt was added to this mixture to create an acidic ph suitable for lactic fermentation , which was conducted in an anaerobic and dark environment at about 20 ° c . after three days at these conditions , the mixture was found to be fermented and the mixture tested positive ( 0 . 130 mg / g ) for sulforaphane . the lab content of the mixture remained high ( 31000 cells / g ) and no coliform bacteria was detected . coliform bacteria was not detected following storage of the fermented mixture in a refrigerator over a two - month period . while the invention has been described in terms of certain embodiments , it is apparent that other forms could be adopted by one skilled in the art . for example , though twelve specific strains of lactobacillus were used in the investigation , it may be possible that certain of the used strains could be omitted or other lactobacilli could be used and yet yield a fermentation that will produce a suitable fermented mixture that contains sulforaphane . in addition , it is foreseeable that multiple cruciferous vegetable could be combined and fermented . accordingly , it should be understood that the invention is not limited to any embodiment described herein . it should also be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed above are for the purpose of describing the disclosed embodiments , and do not necessarily serve as limitations to the scope of the invention . therefore , the scope of the invention is to be limited only by the following claims .
processes for producing a nutritional supplement that contains sulforaphane , and supplements formed thereby . such a process includes combining a cruciferous vegetable , for example , broccoli sprouts , with at least one strain of lactobacillus to form a mixture , causing the mixture to undergo lactic fermentation , transform a glucosinolate within the cruciferous vegetable to sulforaphane , and yield a fermented mixture that contains sulforaphane , and then producing from the fermented mixture a supplement that can be ingested by an individual .