Critical reviews in food science and nutrition最新文献

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6 n-3) is a long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) present in high quantities in the mammalian brain and is a precursor of several metabolites. Clinical trials have demonstrated the benefits of dietary DHA in infants and adults. Triacylglycerols (TAGs) are the most abundant components of many natural oils, and in specific oils (e.g., fish, algal oils, etc.), they represent the main molecular form of dietary DHA. The positional distribution of DHA in the TAG glycerol backbone (sn-2 vs. sn-1/3) varied among different sources. Recent studies have shown that in human breast milk, DHA is mainly esterified at the sn-2 position (∼50% DHA of the total DHA), thus attracting research interest regarding the nutritional properties of sn-2 DHA. In this review, we summarize the different sources of TAG in natural oils with high amounts of DHA, including fish, algae, and marine mammal oils, with a focus on their positional distribution. Methods for analyzing the distribution of fatty acids in TAG of high-PUFA oils are discussed, and the lipase-catalyzed synthetic routes of specific triacylglycerols with sn-2 DHA are summarized. Furthermore, we discuss the recent research progress on the nutritional properties of DHA associated with its positional distribution on TAGs.

Exosomes are nanoscale particles with a lipid bilayer membrane that were first identified in mammalian cells. Plant-derived exosome-like nanoparticles (PELNs) share structural and molecular similarities with mammalian exosomes, including lipids, proteins, microRNA (miRNA), and plant-derived metabolites. Owing to their unique characteristics, such as outstanding stability, low immunogenicity, high biocompatibility, and sustainability, PELNs have emerged as promising natural bioactive agents with the capacity for cross-kingdom cellular regulation. Dietary supplementation with PELNs, particularly from fruits and vegetables, has demonstrated health benefits. An increasing number of studies have indicated the beneficial effects of PELNs on colon health. This review summarizes the isolation and characterization of PELNs, and their stability, uptake, and distribution after oral ingestion. Furthermore, this review emphasizes the interactions between PELNs, gut microbiota, and the gut immune system, including the uptake of PELNs by gut microbiota, modulation of gut bacteria metabolism, and immune responses by PELNs. Additionally, the applications of PELNs as bioactive components and drug carriers targeting the colon are reviewed. In summary, PELNs represent a versatile and natural approach to improve colon health, with potential applications in both therapeutic and preventive healthcare strategies.

Climate change and food security issues have increased the demand for effective and sustainable technologies in the food and agriculture sectors. Plasma-activated water (PAW), a novel cleaning and disinfecting agent enriched with reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species, has attracted widespread attention due to its potential application in maintaining microbiological safety and other quality parameters of food products. Compared to traditional disinfection methods, PAW is rapid and effective for various products, unrestricted by the volume or shape of the treated sample, and is green and sustainable. This article reviews research progress on latest preparation methods, physicochemical properties, antimicrobial activities, potential antimicrobial mechanisms of PAW, and their applications in the food industry. In addition, current methods for preparing PAW suffer from low efficiency, poor antimicrobial stability, and a lack of technology validation and safety evaluation. To solve these challenges, the synergies between PAW and other technologies, the impact on food quality, and current methods for assessing the safety of PAW are highlighted. Technology readiness, energy consumption, international regulations, toxic intermediate products during PAW production, scalability, and important directions for future research on the commercialization of PAW are also presented. It provides the necessary theoretical basis for regulating the generation of high-throughput PAW and demonstrates the feasibility of PAW as a novel food cleaning and sanitizing agent. In summary, this review provides essential insights into PAW's safety, application potential, and sustainability for the food industry.

The prevailing trend toward the increased application of natural polysaccharides in the food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical sectors has provided the impetus for exploring sustainable biological feedstocks. Amongst them, photoautotrophic microalgae have garnered huge research and commercial interests for polysaccharide production by photosynthesis, thereby concurrently attaining carbon sequestration and green production of valuable metabolites. However, conventional approaches for enhancing polysaccharide accumulation warrant adverse conditions, which in turn hinder cellular growth and productivity. Hence, there exists a pressing demand to harness biotechnological approaches for empowering photosynthetic algae as a sustainable feedstock for polysaccharide production. Meanwhile, it remains an untapped tool for the commercial production of microalgal products, despite the recent advancements in synthetic biology. In this review, we discuss the existing intricacies in polysaccharide biosynthetic circuits and propose crucial strategies to circumvent those techno-biological complexities. We also highlight the possible approaches to circumventing such limitations to successfully employ metabolic engineering for the large-scale production of microalgal polysaccharides. The technologically feasible directions for unleashing the biotechnological potential of microalgae as green cell factories are projected toward the sustainable biosynthesis of polysaccharides.

This review focuses on the methods of enhancing the stability of black carrot anthocyanins, which are susceptible to degradation due to temperature, pH, light, and oxygen. These anthocyanins are valued for their health benefits and blue-violet color, but their instability limits their application in the food industry. It is hypothesized that implementing advanced stabilization techniques can significantly improve the stability and usability of black carrot anthocyanins. Key methods to improve anthocyanin stability, including encapsulation, co-pigmentation, and acylation, are comprehensively reviewed. Encapsulation techniques such as spray drying, freeze drying, and liposomes have shown effectiveness in protecting anthocyanins during food processing and storage. Co-pigmentation with non-anthocyanin phenolics and using whey proteins significantly enhance thermal and pH stability, thereby improving color retention. Additionally, innovative strategies like genetic modification and nanoencapsulation have demonstrated potential in further stabilizing anthocyanins by enhancing their structural resilience and bioavailability. These innovative approaches represent a significant advancement in the ability to maintain the integrity of black carrot anthocyanins. Advanced techniques for preserving the functional properties and nutritional benefits of black carrot anthocyanins facilitate broader use in health-oriented food products. Combining these modern methods is essential for optimal stability, and further research is needed to optimize these techniques.

This study aims to review the evidence from Mendelian randomization (MR) studies on the causal role of vitamin D in type 2 diabetes (T2D). A systematic search (registered on PROSPERO (CRD42024551731)) was performed in PubMed, Embase and Web of Science for publications up to June 2024. MR studies including vitamin D as the exposure and T2D as the outcome were included. Among the 22 studies included, which were mainly in European populations, half used single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located on vitamin D synthesis and metabolism genes, while others selected SNPs based on statistical thresholds. Negative associations implying that vitamin D protects against T2D were reported in three one-sample and three two-sample MR studies. The remaining studies reported null associations between genetically predicted circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D and risk of T2D regardless of MR design, study population, data source or SNP selection. Findings from MR studies on circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D and risk of T2D do not consistently support the causal role of vitamin D in T2D in the general population. Future MR studies to examine the non-linear association of vitamin D with T2D or disease progression from prediabetes are warranted to clarify the use of vitamin D in the prevention of T2D.

Hyperuricemia (HUA), characterized by an excessive production of uric acid (UA), poses a significant risk for various metabolic disorders and affects over one billion individuals globally. The intricate interplay between the gut microbiota and dietary constituents plays a pivotal role in maintaining UA homeostasis. Abnormal consumption of specific dietary components such as purines, fructose, or aberrant expression of urate transporters can disrupt UA balance, precipitating HUA and gout. The gut microbiota exerts profound influence over human UA regulation, particularly in the presence of specific gene clusters. Individuals with HUA often exhibit gut dysbiosis, characterized by a reduction in bacteria producing short-chain fatty acids or those capable of degrading UA, alongside an increase in opportunistic pathogens. Dietary constituents and their microbial metabolites engage in intricate interactions with the gut microbiota to modulate HUA, regulating inflammatory responses, suppressing xanthine oxidase activity to curtail UA production, and enhancing UA excretion via urate transporters. This comprehensive review delineates the pivotal role of dietary factors in UA metabolism and HUA, elucidating the underlying mechanisms of microbial regulation. By unraveling the intricate connections between the gut microbiota and UA metabolism, it offers valuable dietary guidance for individuals grappling with HUA.

Porous starch (PS) represents a novel modified starch variant characterized by numerous pores penetrating the granules, reaching their central cavities. Unlike its native counterpart, PS demonstrates a unique ability to absorb liquids without heating. Consequently, it plays a pivotal role in non-thermally processed foods, serving as an exceptional water absorber, potent thickening agent, bio-carrier, and emulsifier. However, PS is susceptible to breakdown under conditions of high shear and temperature. Thus, it is imperative that PS is modified to expand its functional properties. This comprehensive review consolidates recent advances in PS modification, with a particular emphasis on environmentally sustainable non-thermal physical methods, either alone or in combination. These methodologies can be used to enhance the functional attributes and to pave the way for the development of next-generation PS starches through eco-friendly and sustainable technologies. The review explains the modification techniques, the novel functional properties they create, and their potential applications in food products. This information will benefit starch manufacturers, the food industry, and researchers delving into the exploration of innovative starches for cleaner and greener food processing practices.

Tomatoes, a key element of the Mediterranean diet, are a rich source of bioactive compounds that contribute positively to health. This review investigates how interactions between starch and tomato polyphenols and carotenoids impact starch digestibility and the glycaemic response. A key focus is the role of the food matrix and nutrient interactions, often overlooked in studies assessing individual compounds. We found that bioactive compounds from tomatoes can modulate starch digestion at the molecular level, and that the interactions between starch and bioactive compounds depend on the starch structure, type of bioactive compound, and complexation conditions. However, results from intervention studies assessing the effect of tomato bioactive compounds on glycemia in humans are not convincing and modest or non-significant changes were observed in glucose and insulin concentrations. This may be due to the lack of specific studies on glycemia and the diverse study populations, which complicate direct comparisons of results. Overall, this review highlights the importance of analyzing how nutrient interactions and the food matrix influence nutrient digestibility and absorption. Furthermore, we identify research gaps regarding the effects of consuming tomatoes or tomato-based products alongside starch-based foods, emphasizing the need for further targeted studies to clarify their role in glycaemic regulation.

In the process of storage and processing, food will be affected by the external environment and reduce its quality, such as light, water, oxygen, microorganisms, etc. Barrier packaging is needed to shield the adverse effects of the external environment. Polysaccharide macromolecules are rich in active sites, which gives them designable properties, and therefore have been widely studied by researchers in the field of barrier packaging films. In view of the previous researchers, this paper reviews the recent progress of polysaccharide-based barrier composite films (cellulose, starch, chitosan, xylan, sodium alginate, agar, pullulan etc.). Firstly, summarizes and analyzes the types of food packaging barrier and the principle, and then this paper focuses on various types of polysaccharide-based barrier packaging materials, from the design, preparation, performance to the application, and analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of the polysaccharides and synergism with other substances to improve the barrier properties of composite films. The paper aims at exploring the application value of biomass polysaccharides as high-barrier film materials and providing theoretical references for further research on biomass polysaccharide-based high-barrier composite film.