Abstract: A method of preparing cocoa oligomeric procyanidins from cocoa cell cultures grown in the presence of monosaccharide can increase production of procyanidins as follows: culturing cells sufficient to result in production of cocoa oligomeric procyanidins at a first rate; and introducing a monosaccharide to the cells sufficient for inducing the cells to produce the cocoa oligomeric procyanidins at a second rate that his higher than the first rate. The method can further include extracting the cocoa oligomeric procyanidins from the cells, and such extracting can occur between 1 day to 21 days after introduction of the monosaccharide. Optionally, the monosaccharide can be introduced in an amount about 0.5% to about to about 20% by volume of the culture medium. The monosaccharide can be glucose, sucrose, fructose, or the like. The monosaccharide can be introduced during or after a last phase of an exponential growth state.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods for obtaining a natural product preparation with reduced glucosinolate contamination from a plant of Brassicaceae. The methods can include cultivating a plant callus from a plant capable of producing a desired natural product, selecting a callus with reduced glucosinolate production, and cultivating the selected callus in a liquid medium. The method can also include recovering the natural product from the culture. Also disclosed are methods for obtaining cabbage anthocyanin with reduced glucosinolate contamination. The methods can include cultivating a red cabbage plant callus with reduced glucosinolate production in a liquid medium to obtain a suspension culture and cultivating the suspension culture in a medium lacking a nitrogen source. The method can also include recovering the anthocyanin with reduced glucosinolate contamination from the culture. Finally, several specific low-glucosinolate cell lines are described.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods for obtaining a natural product preparation with reduced glucosinolate contamination from a plant of Brassicaceae. The methods can include cultivating a plant callus from a plant capable of producing a desired natural product, selecting a callus with reduced glucosinolate production, and cultivating the selected callus in a liquid medium. The method can also include recovering the natural product from the culture. Also disclosed are methods for obtaining cabbage anthocyanin with reduced glucosinolate contamination. The methods can include cultivating a red cabbage plant callus with reduced glucosinolate production in a liquid medium to obtain a suspension culture and cultivating the suspension culture in a medium lacking a nitrogen source. The method can also include recovering the anthocyanin with reduced glucosinolate contamination from the culture. Finally, several specific low-glucosinolate cell lines are described.

Abstract: A method of preparing cocoa oligomeric procyanidins from cocoa cell cultures grown in the presence of monosaccharide can increase production of procyanidins as follows: culturing cells sufficient to result in production of cocoa oligomeric procyanidins at a first rate; and introducing a monosaccharide to the cells sufficient for inducing the cells to produce the cocoa oligomeric procyanidins at a second rate that his higher than the first rate. The method can further include extracting the cocoa oligomeric procyanidins from the cells, and such extracting can occur between 1 day to 21 days after introduction of the monosaccharide. Optionally, the monosaccharide can be introduced in an amount about 0.5% to about to about 20% by volume of the culture medium. The monosaccharide can be glucose, sucrose, fructose, or the like. The monosaccharide can be introduced during or after a last phase of an exponential growth state.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods for obtaining blue anthocyanin pigments and compositions including such pigments. This blue anthocyanin is present at an acidic pH (where anthocyanins are most stable) and may be used as a natural color additive. The methods can include cultivating a plant callus from a plant capable of producing anthocyanin in which the callus is treated with a blue anthocyanin-generating agent at a concentration sufficient to generate callus with blue anthocyanin pigments. The method can also include recovering the blue anthocyanin pigments from the culture. In an example, the blue anthocyanin-generating agent is ammonium molybdate.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods of making cocoa polyphenol preparations, which methods comprises harvesting cocoa polyphenols, for example, procyanidins, from the cell suspension culture. In examples of these methods, the resultant cocoa polyphenol preparation is substantially (or in some cases, completely) free of detectable caffeine and theobromine, and more generally substantially free of xanthine alkaloids. Methods of producing a cell suspension culture of cacao cells are also described, including cell suspension cultures useful for making cocoa polyphenol and, more specifically, procyanidin preparations. Theobroma and Herrania sp cell suspension cultures and cocoa polyphenol preparations made therefrom are also provided, in particular xanthine alkaloid-free (or caffeine- and/or theobromine-free) cocoa polyphenol preparations.

Abstract: Reported herein are methods for obtaining stably transformed callus in Taxus media ‘Hicksii’, including particularly methods that involve using needles, stem, or bark peel as explant material for transformation. Also provided are descriptions of several promoter activities in directing reporter gene expression in Taxus media cells, in particular cells in suspension cultures, callus and needles. Transgenic plants (e.g., Taxus plants), plant cells, cell lines, and tissues (including seeds) are also provided, in particular those that express one or more enzymes in a paclitaxel biosynthesis pathway.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods for obtaining a natural product preparation with reduced glucosinolate contamination from a plant of Brassicaceae. The methods can include cultivating a plant callus from a plant capable of producing a desired natural product, selecting a callus with reduced glucosinolate production, and cultivating the selected callus in a liquid medium. The method can also include recovering the natural product from the culture. Also disclosed are methods for obtaining cabbage anthocyanin with reduced glucosinolate contamination. The methods can include cultivating a red cabbage plant callus with reduced glucosinolate production in a liquid medium to obtain a suspension culture and cultivating the suspension culture in a medium lacking a nitrogen source. The method can also include recovering the anthocyanin with reduced glucosinolate contamination from the culture. Finally, several specific low-glucosinolate cell lines are described.