Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition

Chia seeds have gained significant attention due to their unique composition and potential health benefits, including high dietary fibers, omega-3 fatty acids, proteins, and phenolic compounds. These components contribute to their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory effects, as well as their ability to improve glucose metabolism and dyslipidemia. Germination is recognized as a promising strategy to enhance the nutritional value and bioavailability of chia seeds. Chia seed sprouts have been found to exhibit increased essential amino acid content, elevated levels of dietary fiber and total phenols, and enhanced antioxidant capability...

Inflammatory cascades of the dysregulated inflammatory pathways in COVID-19 can cause excessive production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines leading to cytokine storm syndrome (CSS). The molecular cascades involved in the pathways may be targeted for discovery of new anti-inflammatory agents. Many plant extracts have been used clinically in the management of COVID-19, however, their immunosuppressive activities were mainly investigated based on in silico activity. Dietary flavonoids of the extracts such as quercetin, luteolin, kaempferol, naringenin, isorhamnetin, baicalein, wogonin, and rutin were commonly identified as responsible for their inhibitory effects...

Raw milk is the foundation of quality and safety in the dairy industry, and improving milk source management is the fundamental guarantee. Milk-derived exosomes (MDEs) are nanoscale information transfer molecules secreted by mammary cells with unique content and high stability, which can be used not only as potential markers to analyze key traits of lactation, reproduction, nutrition and health of animals, but also help farm managers to take timely interventions to improve animal welfare, milk quality, and functional traits...

Oil bodies (OBs) function as organelles that store lipids in plant seeds. An oil body (OB) is encased by a membrane composed of proteins (e.g., oleosins, caleosins, and steroleosins) and a phospholipid monolayer. The distinctive protein-phospholipid membrane architecture of OBs imparts exceptional stability even in extreme environments, thereby sparking increasing interest in their structure and properties. However, a comprehensive understanding of the structure-activity relationships determining the stability and properties of oil bodies requires a more profound exploration of the associated membrane proteins, an aspect that remains relatively unexplored...

Polyphenols are important constituents of plant-based foods, exhibiting a range of beneficial effects. However, many phenolic compounds have low bioavailability because of their low water solubility, chemical instability, food matrix effects, and interactions with other nutrients. This article reviews various methods of improving the bioavailability of polyphenols in plant-based foods, including fermentation, natural deep eutectic solvents, encapsulation technologies, co-crystallization and amorphous solid dispersion systems, and exosome complexes...

The high prevalence of metabolic syndrome is threatening the health of populations all over the world. Contemporary work demonstrates that high leptin concentration is directly related to the development of metabolic syndrome such as obesity, fatty liver diseases, type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases. Anthocyanins are a widespread group of dietary polyphenols, which can ameliorate chronic diseases related to metabolic syndrome. In addition, anthocyanins can regulate the leptin pathway in chronic metabolic diseases, however the potential mechanism between anthocyanin and leptin is complex and elusive...

Excessive consumption of salt is associated with increased incidence of cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, diabetes, and other health issues. However, it is challenging to find appropriate strategies that balance sensory qualities while achieving sodium reduction as salt plays a crucial role in providing desired appearance, texture, and taste. The impact of hydrocolloid properties (addition and type) on saltiness perception were reviewed. Additionally, considering the interactions between food components, both covalent and noncovalent, we propose designing specialized colloidal structures capable of binding sodium ions to enhance salt-taste perception...

The global aging population has brought about a pressing health concern: dysphagia. To effectively address this issue, we must develop specialized diets, such as thickened fluids made with polysaccharide-dextrin (e.g., water, milk, juices, and soups), which are crucial for managing swallowing-related problems like aspiration and choking for people with dysphagia. Understanding the flow behaviors of these thickened fluids is paramount, and it enables us to establish methods for evaluating their suitability for individuals with dysphagia...

Phospholipids (PL) have garnered significant attention due to their physiological activities. Milk and other dairy products are important dietary sources for humans and have been extensively used to analyze the presence of PL by various analytical techniques. In this paper, the analysis techniques of PL were reviewed with the eight trigrams of phospholipidomics and a comprehensive fingerprint of 1295 PLs covering 8 subclasses in milk and other dairy products, especially. Technology is the primary productive force...

Fermentation is one of the oldest food processing techniques known to humans and cereal fermentation is still widely used to create many types of foods and beverages. Starch is a major component of cereals and the changes in its structure and function during fermentation are of great importance for scientific research and industrial applications. This review summarizes the preparation of fermented cereals and the effects of fermentation on the structure, properties, and application of cereal starch in foods...

Muscle foods, valued for their significant nutrient content such as high-quality protein, vitamins, and minerals, are vulnerable to adulteration and fraud, stemming from dishonest vendor practices and insufficient market oversight. Traditional analytical methods, often limited to laboratory-scale., may not effectively detect adulteration and fraud in complex applications. Raman spectroscopy (RS), encompassing techniques like Surface-enhanced RS (SERS), Dispersive RS (DRS), Fourier transform RS (FTRS), Resonance Raman spectroscopy (RRS), and Spatially offset RS (SORS) combined with chemometrics, presents a potent approach for both qualitative and quantitative analysis of muscle food adulteration...

Microfluidics is revolutionizing the production of microparticles and nanoparticles, offering precise control over dimensions and internal structure. This technology facilitates the creation of colloidal delivery systems capable of encapsulating and releasing nutraceuticals. Nutraceuticals, often derived from food-grade ingredients, can be used for developing functional foods. This review focuses on the principles and applications of microfluidic systems in crafting colloidal delivery systems for nutraceuticals...

(-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is a natural phenolic substance found in foods and beverages (especially tea) that exhibits a broad spectrum of biological activities, including antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-obesity, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties. Its potential in cardiovascular and brain health has garnered significant attention. However, its clinical application remains limited due to its poor physicochemical stability and low oral bioavailability. Nanotechnology can be used to improve the stability, efficacy, and pharmacokinetic profile of EGCG by encapsulating it within nanoparticles...

The use of protein-based films in food preservation has been investigated as an alternative to synthetic plastics in recent years. Being biodegradable, edible, natural, and upcycling from food waste/by-products are the benefits of protein-based edible films. Their use ensures food safety as an alternative to synthetic plastics, and their film-forming properties can be improved with the addition of bioactive compounds. This review summarizes the studies on the changes in certain quality parameters of plant protein-based films, including mechanical, physicochemical, or morphological properties with the use of different forms of phenolic additives (pure phenolics, phenolic extracts, essential oils) and their application in foods during storage...

Species adulteration or mislabeling with meat and seafood products could negatively affect the fair trade, wildlife conservation, food safety, religion aspect, and even the public health. While PCR-based methods remain the gold standard for assessment of the species authenticity, there is an urgent need for alternative testing platforms that are rapid, accurate, simple, and portable. Owing to its ease of use, low cost, and rapidity, LAMP is becoming increasingly used method in food analysis for detecting species adulteration or mislabeling...

Anthocyanins have become increasingly important to the food industry due to their colorant features and many health-promoting activities. Numerous studies have linked anthocyanins to antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticarcinogenic properties, as well as protection against heart disease, certain types of cancer, and a reduced risk of diabetes and cognitive disorders. Anthocyanins from various foods may exhibit distinct biological and health-promoting activities owing to their structural diversity. In this review, we have collected and tabulated the key information from various recent published studies focusing on investigating the chemical structure effect of anthocyanins on their stability, antioxidant activities, in vivo fate, and changes in the gut microbiome...

Growing demand for the tasty and healthy food has driven the development of low-calorie sweeteners, sweet taste modulators, and bitter masking compounds originated from natural sources. With the discovery of human taste receptors, increasing numbers of sweet taste modulators have been identified through human taste response and molecular docking techniques. However, the discovery of novel taste-active molecules in nature can be accelerated by using advanced spectrometry technologies based on structure-activity relationships (SARs)...

Pectic oligosaccharides have become novel bioactive components. However, the comprehensive preparation methods, structural features, bioactivities and application of them lack a systematic review. Here, we focused on the enzymatic preparation of pectic oligosaccharides, and attempted to outline relationships among the enzymolysis condition, structure, bioactivities and application of pectic oligosaccharides. Pectic oligosaccharides were characterized by the oligosaccharides with units of →4)-α-Gal p A-(1→4)-α-Gal p A-(1→ or →4)-α-Gal p A-(1→2)-α-Rha p -(1→...

With the improved knowledge of gluten-related disorders, especially celiac disease (CD), the market of gluten-free food is growing. However, the current gluten-free diet still presents challenges in terms of nutrition, acceptability, and cost due to the absence of gluten. It is important to note that gluten-related allergies or sensitivities have different underlying causes. And individuals with mild non-celiac gluten disorder symptoms may not necessarily require the same gluten-free treatments. Scientists are actively seeking alternative solutions for these consumers...

The cold chain is an integral part of the modern food industry. Low temperatures can effectively alleviate food loss and the transmission of foodborne diseases caused by microbial reproduction. However, recent reports have highlighted shortcomings in the current cold chain technology's ability to prevent and control cold-tolerant foodborne pathogens. Furthermore, it has been observed that certain cold-chain foods have emerged as new sources of infection for foodborne disease outbreaks. Consequently, there is a pressing need to enhance control measures targeting cold-tolerant pathogens within the existing cold chain system...