Critical reviews in food science and nutrition最新文献

Cheese, a widely consumed dairy product globally, derives its commercial value primarily from its flavor and textural characteristics that crucially determine consumer acceptance. The quality of cheese including flavor and texture is intricately related to the enzymatic activities of microorganisms during the fermentation process. Among these enzymes, lipases play a pivotal role by hydrolyzing milk fat to generate free fatty acids, which serve as precursors for the formation of key flavor compounds, thereby significantly enhancing the sensory attributes of cheese. Compared to lipases sourced from animals or plants, microbial lipases offer distinct advantages, including lower production costs, broader substrate specificity, and greater adaptability to genetic modification, making them more suitable for large-scale cheese production. Recent advancements in biotechnology have enabled the optimization of microbial lipase applications in cheese manufacturing through various innovative approaches. This review comprehensively examines the impact of microbial lipase on cheese quality, particularly in terms of texture and flavor development. Additionally, it summarizes current strategies for enhancing the efficacy of microbial lipase in cheese production, providing valuable insights for the advancement of enzyme-modified cheese industry.

Background: Milk extracellular vesicles (mEVs) are emerging as important mediators in gut pathology and cancer management. These stable nanoscale vesicles contain bioactive cargos including microRNAs, proteins, and lipids that facilitate intercellular communication and offer therapeutic opportunities.

Scope and approach: This review examines mEVs' role in gut health and cancer therapy, synthesizing recent evidence from 2021 to 2025 across various milk sources (camel, bovine, equine, ovine, human).

Key findings and conclusions: mEVs significantly enhance intestinal health by strengthening epithelial barriers, modulating immune responses, and improving gut microbiota composition. In colitis models, they reduce inflammation, improve intestinal integrity, and restore microbial balance. Additionally, mEVs show promising cancer treatment applications, functioning as natural anticancer agents and efficient drug delivery vehicles. Their biocompatibility, tumor-targeting capabilities, and ability to enhance therapeutic efficacy while reducing toxicity address key limitations of conventional therapies. mEVs represent a promising frontier in preventive and therapeutic interventions for gastrointestinal disorders and cancer, positioning them as valuable candidates for future clinical applications in food-based therapeutics and precision medicine.

Growing consumer demand for healthier and natural ingredients has driven the food industry toward "clean-label" products, replacing synthetic additives with plant-based alternatives. Ginger has gained significant attention for its distinctive flavor and various bioactive compounds. Consequently, its primary extract, ginger oleoresin, is widely applied in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics and personal care industries due to its antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties. This review systematically presents the functional components and biological activities of ginger oleoresin. Given the critical impact of extraction methods on its quality and bioactivity, this review emphasizes green extraction techniques, including supercritical fluid extraction, enzyme-assisted extraction, microwave-assisted extraction, ultrasound-assisted extraction, ionic liquid extraction, and other emerging techniques, which are designed to enhance both efficiency and sustainability. Additionally, to address challenges like hydrophobicity and poor stability, this review discusses various encapsulation strategies including spray drying, emulsion techniques, and complex coacervation, which improve the stability and bioavailability in food systems. By highlighting green extraction and encapsulation technologies, this review offers insights into maximizing its application in food formulations. Furthermore, the dose-related effects and safety considerations are also discussed, aiming to provide a comprehensive guide for effective utilization of ginger oleoresin as a natural, multifunctional additive in food formulations.

Probiotics are beneficial microorganisms that support host health. They are extensively used in food, healthcare and pharmaceutical industries. Accurate viability assessment is imperative not only to ensure product quality and efficacy but also to meet consumer expectations. This review provides a systematic analysis of probiotic history, international regulatory standards and functional characteristics across strains. It provides a comprehensive overview of probiotic enumeration techniques, which range from traditional culture methods to modern emerging technologies that drive current research and applications. By critically evaluating the strengths and limitations of these methods, this review explores future directions for probiotic enumeration, offering valuable insights for quality control in probiotic products and supporting advancements in related scientific research.

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) has recognized antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, mainly because its composition, great levels of oleic acid, and phenolic compounds (PC). Thus, the aim of this systematic review was to synthesize the results of randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) of regular consumption of EVOO in biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress. Twenty-three RCTs met the inclusion criteria, involving 1138 participants, showed some type of risk of bias and the certainty of the evidence ranged from moderate to very low. Biomarkersas such ox-LDL, TNF-alpha, CRP, IL-6, IL-10, and IL-18 were associated with changes in inflammatory and oxidative states after EVOO consumption. EVOO consumption reduced ox-LDL when compared with medium and low PC olive oils together: -4.59 U/l [(95%CI: -8.1 to -1.08), I²: 45.4%; p = 0.103] and with low PC olive oil only: -7.73 U/l [(95%CI: -14.63 to -0.82 U/l], I²: 42%; p = 0.16)]. CRP was also reduced compared to low PC olive oils: -0.99 mg/l [(95%CI: -1.66 to -0.31); I²: 68.8%; p = 0.00)], but showed considerable heterogeneity. In conclusion, PC levels demonstrate an association with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. The consumption of EVOO tends to reduce the risk of chronic non-communicable diseases, especially individuals adhering to the Mediterranean diet.

Mangrove plants represent an interesting source of bioactive molecules that may be valuable for human use and especially for applications in the food sector. Phenolic compounds, ubiquitous in mangrove plants, are of considerable interest due to their antioxidant properties and other potential beneficial effects. This contribution aimed at gathering and emphasizing all recent works performed to unravel their antioxidant activities and use in food to improve food quality and extend shelf life. Food industries and food technologists may express a huge interest in their exploitation and valorization. Indeed, their addition and/or incorporation in food would allow to control off-flavor development, retard the formation of toxic oxidation products such as primary and secondary oxidation substances, maintain and improve nutritional quality, and to improve the shelf-life of foods. Based on the safety concerns and limitations on the use of synthetic antioxidants, their replacement with natural antioxidants provides a viable alternative.

Freekeh, a traditional Middle Eastern cereal derived from wheat, is gaining global recognition as a climate-resilient, nutrient-dense alternative to commonly consumed staples such as white rice and refined wheat. It offers a compelling solution to pressing challenges in nutrition, sustainability, and food security. Compared to conventional grains, Freekeh's cultivation requires less irrigation and fertilizer, supporting more sustainable agricultural practices without compromising nutritional value. This review explores Freekeh's history, eco-friendly production, and compositional profile-highlighting its high protein (11%-15%), dietary fiber (12%-19%), and starch (45%-68%) content. It is also a valuable source of micronutrients including potassium (369-451 mg/100 g), magnesium (160-202 mg/100 g), phosphorus (412 mg/100 g), and B vitamins, as well as antioxidant vitamins C and E. Bioactive compounds such as ferulic acid, lutein, and zeaxanthin further enhance its functional potential. Freekeh's low glycaemic index and cholesterol-lowering effects make it particularly relevant in the context of non-communicable disease prevention. While it contains gluten, further research is needed to assess its allergenic potential and phytate-related impacts on mineral bioavailability. This review highlights the timely need to explore Freekeh's consumer acceptance, processing properties, and industrial applications positioning it as a promising ingredient in the transition toward more sustainable and health-oriented food systems.

As a metabolic disorder, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) may be prevented through strategic adjustments of the gut microbiome, which could be reshaped by dietary intakes, and in turn, improve the host's health via various metabolic activities. The human gut harbors a diverse array of microorganisms that play a crucial role in host health. Through the gut-liver axis, bile acid metabolism, tryptophan metabolism, and short-chain fatty acid metabolism of gut microbiota significantly influence hepatic metabolic processes. Substantial evidence demonstrates that targeted modulation of gut microbiota represents an effective therapeutic approach for numerous diseases, including hepatic disease. While numerous studies have confirmed the regulatory effects of diet on host health, the potential for precision nutritional interventions utilizing gut microbiota and their metabolites remains an area requiring further exploration due to the high heterogeneity in gut microbiota of different individuals. This review provides a comprehensive insight into the intricate relationship between gut microbiota and MASLD. It particularly highlights the influences of gut microbial composition and metabolism on MASLD and clarifies the significant impact of dietary components on the progression and prevention of the disease via modulating and shaping the intestinal microenvironment.

This review highlights the potential of lipid-based nanocarriers, particularly nanocochleates, in enhancing edible films/coatings for food packaging. While direct application of bioactives poses risks such as uncontrolled release and sensitivity to environmental factors, lipid-based nanocarriers like nanocochleates offer improved stability, higher loading capacity, and controlled release. Originally used in pharmaceuticals, nanocochleates are now being explored in the food industry, promising significant benefits for active edible coatings. The review discusses recent advancements, safety considerations, regulatory and environmental issues, and future challenges associated with integrating these lipid-based nanocarriers into food packaging, providing a comprehensive overview of current research and development in this field.

With heightened awareness of cardiovascular health and obesity-particularly visceral adiposity-contemporary consumers prioritize dietary lipid quality and quantity. Substituting triacylglycerol (TAG)-based fat sources with diacylglycerol (DAG)-based sources in meat products without compromising the sensory and technological properties can fulfill consumers' demand for healthier meat products. This review delineates the metabolic pathway distinctions between DAGs and TAGs, summarizes the health benefits of DAGs, and documents their synthesis methodologies. Furthermore, it contrasts animal-derived and plant-derived DAGs while examining recent advances in plant-derived DAG emulsions. Building on this foundation, emerging research on the interaction between DAGs and myofibrillar proteins (MPs) positions them as promising fat replacers in meat products, warranting further exploration for effective quality preservation. Application prospects and implementation barriers for DAGs in emulsified meat systems are also examined. Ultimately, this comprehensive analysis offers valuable insights and guidance for developing healthier meat products and advancing the application of DAGs in the food industry.