Background Mellow brothiness in tea infusions emerges from the joint action of L-theanine and tea polyphenols. The noncovalent forces tying precursor chemistry to oral perception have remained scattered across separate disciplines. Scope and approach This review treats noncovalent molecular forces as one integrative analytical thread, tracing their role across four linked stages. The first covers genetic and agronomic tuning of the phenol-to-amino-acid ratio. The second follows the temperature-dependent shift from reversible association to irreversible covalent fixation. A third couple of oral dissociation kinetics with activation of the umami (T1R1/T1R3) and kokumi (CaSR) receptors. The last addresses formulation strategies for functional delivery. Key findings and conclusions Three selectivity rules (galloyl anchoring, hydrogen-bond stoichiometry, and γ-amide specificity) jointly set binding preference, colloidal stability, and flavor-release trajectory. From them, the review builds a time-resolved superposition model. Immediate umami signals from released L-theanine converge with sustained receptor activation by Maillard-derived covalent products, generating the lasting brothiness percept. Pilot trials in plant-based meat, gluten, and starch matrices indicate that these noncovalent synergies reshape texture, digestibility, and sensory balance well past tea. In animal models, low-dose epigallocatechin gallate co-administered with L-theanine reproduced high-dose metabolic benefits without hepatotoxicity. Available thermodynamic constants came from dilute binary solutions. Whether they hold under salivary shear and multicomponent competition awaits in situ monitoring of oral dissociation and human pharmacokinetic validation.
Background Nucleic acids in foods have attracted growing attention not only as genetic materials and metabolic precursors but also as intrinsic quality-related constituents and designable functional ingredients. Dietary nucleotides, nucleosides, microRNAs (miRNAs), and other small RNAs (sRNAs) may contribute to nutritional function, sensory quality, molecular regulatory potential, and product differentiation, whereas purine exposure and uncertain dietary RNA bioactivity require careful evaluation. Scope and approach This review integrates current knowledge on food-derived nucleic acids within an integrated food nucleic acid framework, emphasizing nutrition and health, food quality, and food safety. It concisely synthesizes digestion, absorption, metabolic pathways, purine-related safety risks, and potential cross-kingdom regulatory effects of dietary sRNAs, while integrating their roles in flavor formation, functional quality, and processing stability. In addition, it highlights nucleic acid-based approaches for food safety detection, including authenticity identification, contamination monitoring, and molecular traceability. Key findings and conclusions Food-derived nucleic acids should be regarded as multifunctional food-related factors that can be metabolized as absorbable substrates, preserved as potential bioactive regulatory candidates, used to enhance sensory and functional quality, and exploited as analytical tools for food safety. Nucleic acid fortification with defined nucleotide or nucleoside profiles can support the quality design of products such as infant formula and functional foods, but must be balanced against purine exposure and safety boundaries. Overall, preserving, designing, monitoring, and standardizing food nucleic acids may provide new routes for improving food quality, supporting nutritional health, and strengthening food safety.
Background Spondias purpurea L. (SP) is an underutilized fruit species that has attracted growing scientific interest due to its nutritional, sensory, and phytochemical attributes. Despite its traditional consumption, its short shelf life, limited commercialization, and fragmented production chain have restricted its broader utilization. Studies have highlighted the presence of bioactive and nutritional constituents associated with potential health benefits. However, the available information remains fragmented across different research fields, and a comprehensive assessment integrating current knowledge on SP fruit fractions is still lacking. Scope and approach This comprehensive review synthesizes current knowledge on the origin, botanical aspects, nutritional composition, phytochemical profile, bioaccessibility, biological properties, and technological applications of SP fruit fractions. The available literature was reviewed to assess the relevance of SP fruit to food, nutrition, health, and coproduct valorization. Furthermore, opportunities associated with the valorization of pulp, peel, and seed fractions are discussed, with emphasis on sustainable processing, bioactive compound recovery, and the development of innovative value-added products. Knowledge gaps and future research priorities are also highlighted to support the sustainable utilization of this underexplored bioresource. Key findings and conclusions SP fruit fractions are rich sources of vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, phenolic compounds, carotenoids, and other health-promoting constituents associated with antioxidant, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, gastroprotective, and prebiotic properties. Peel and seed fractions often contain higher concentrations of these compounds than the edible pulp, highlighting valuable opportunities for coproduct valorization. Furthermore, SP fractions show promise for incorporation into food products, sustainable materials, and circular bioeconomy strategies. Future research should focus on bridging existing knowledge gaps related to bioavailability, clinical validation, sustainability, and production-chain development. Such efforts will be crucial to fully realize the value of SP as a bioresource capable of supporting food and nutrition, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable development.
Background Chronic exposure to heavy metals remains a major global health concern driven largely by dietary intake from contaminated foods and drinking water. Current mitigation strategies based on source control and pharmacological interventions such as chelation therapy are often impractical for widespread, low-level exposure, highlighting the need for complementary long-term strategies, including dietary interventions that operate within the gastrointestinal tract. Scope and approach Fermented foods may be relevant in this context, as they represent complex biological systems composed of microorganisms, fermentation-derived metabolites, and structurally transformed food matrices that collectively influence metal bioaccessibility and adsorption in the gut, with downstream effects on systemic bioaccumulation and host responses. In addition, recent clinical studies have shown that fermented foods can modulate the gut microbiota and immune system both of which play a role in mitigating heavy metal burden. Key findings and conclusions Experimental evidence from in vitro and animal studies suggests that fermented foods or their associated microorganisms can reduce intestinal metal absorption, enhance fecal excretion of metals, and attenuate oxidative stress and tissue damage associated with metal exposure. Emerging human evidence suggests potential benefits; however, the evidence is very limited. In this review, we outline the mechanisms by which fermented foods may mitigate heavy-metal toxicity and propose that fermented foods may represent accessible, diet-based strategies to mitigate the toxic effects of chronic metal exposure. However, further clinical research is needed to establish efficacy and to identify optimal food matrices, microbial characteristics, and intake levels.
Background In nature, the molecular relationships between bioactive compounds and their surrounding matrices govern how those bioactives are packaged, retained, and transformed on their path toward a target site. Analogous examples exist of food-grade encapsulation systems in which matrix and cargo interact in ways that govern encapsulation performance, yet these interactions are studied in the context of individual matrix–cargo combinations without reference to shared rules across systems. Scope and approach This review proposes a conceptual framework classifying matrix–cargo interactions in food-grade encapsulation systems into three functional categories: assembly, adhesive, and biocatalytic. For each category, we outline the underlying mechanisms, discuss their implications for encapsulation performance, present examples of their implementation in food systems, and identify knowledge gaps and future research opportunities. Key findings and conclusions We define assembly interactions as those that occur when forces between cargo and matrix components or when cargo-induced changes in the local environment simultaneously drive matrix formation and cargo incorporation, influencing encapsulation efficiency, matrix structure, and cargo distribution. Adhesive interactions arise when attractive forces retain a bioactive within an already-formed matrix, establishing an energetic barrier that modulates release kinetics. Biocatalytic interactions occur when the matrix harbors intrinsic catalytic activity that transforms its cargo, enabling in situ generation of bioactive metabolites.Understanding these interactions offers a path toward designing encapsulation systems with explicit attention to the molecular relationship between matrix and cargo and how these can be harnessed to control entrapment, retention, and in situ generation of bioactives.
Background Diabetes and its complications are considered one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Natural or synthetic glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) secretagogues have emerged as an effective pharmacologic approach to managing type 2 diabetes (T2D). These agents regulate insulin and blood glucose levels and contribute to weight management by stimulating the efficient secretion of GLP-1 in the gut. Recently, food-derived bioactive compounds have been recognized as potential GLP-1 secretagogues, offering dietary strategies for blood glucose management. Scope and approach This review summarizes the origin and mechanism of action of GLP-1 secretagogues derived from natural foods and their derivatives. In addition, current limitations and future research directions for validating their efficacy and determining their application in the management of T2D and obesity are discussed. Key findings and conclusions To date, various natural compounds—including proteins and their derivatives, carbohydrates, fatty acids, and polyphenols—have been shown to stimulate GLP-1 secretion. Despite varying in their efficacy and mechanisms of action, the positive results from in vitro and animal studies warrant further research to assess their potential as functional food components for blood glucose regulation.
Background Grape germplasm resources contain diverse bioactive and quality-related compounds, including phenolics, anthocyanins, stilbenes, seed tannins, seed lipids, fatty acids, sugars, organic acids, amino acids, minerals and aroma-related metabolites. However, many studies still describe these resources as compositional catalogues or single-index rankings rather than as decision-oriented functional-resource systems. Scope and approach This critical narrative review uses a structured and transparent literature-search and screening workflow to examine how grape germplasm composition can be translated into functional chemotypes and application-oriented priorities. Evidence from grape composition, fruit-quality evaluation, chemometrics, multi-criteria decision models, machine learning, functional foods and biological validation is critically integrated with emphasis on data harmonization, evidence hierarchy, chemotype stability and reproducibility. Machine learning is treated as a bounded analytical and interpretation layer rather than the review's headline promise. Key findings and conclusions Functional chemotyping provides an intermediate layer between component profiling and resource selection, but a statistically derived cluster qualifies as a functional chemotype only when its markers, context, application relevance and stability are supported. Integrated models can improve transparency when indicator direction, normalization, weighting, missingness, uncertainty and validation are declared. The proposed Grape Functional Bioactive Priority Score separates application-oriented utility from evidence confidence and is intended to prioritize candidates for further testing, not to measure health efficacy. Reliable translation also requires authenticated germplasm identity, interoperable metadata, multi-environment evidence and staged validation that distinguishes composition, sensory evidence, digestion and metabolism, realistic exposure and efficacy.
Background Pomelo peel is a major byproduct of pomelo processing, with potential for direct food use and as a source of dietary fiber, pectin, flavonoids, and essential oils. However, bitterness associated with naringin and limonin restricts its direct use in foods and remains a major barrier to full biomass valorization. This review critically examines two complementary routes: solid-state debittering for direct use of the intact peel matrix, and selective fractionation for the recovery of essential oils, pectin, and dietary fiber. Depending on the target product, these routes may be implemented independently or selectively integrated. Particular emphasis is placed on internal mass-transfer resistance within the intact peel matrix, a key distinction between solid-state debittering and liquid-phase juice processing. Methods Physical, chemical, biological, and combined debittering strategies are compared in terms of process efficiency and quality trade-offs. Conventional and emerging extraction technologies for essential oils, pectin, and dietary fiber are then evaluated. For essential oils, supercritical CO2 extraction, deep eutectic solvent systems, and electrical-shockwave-assisted switchable-solvent extraction are compared with hydrodistillation and cold pressing in terms of recovery, compositional quality, process requirements, and scale-up readiness. Pectin and dietary-fiber processes are assessed through the interdependent trade-off among yield, structural integrity, and scalability. Key bottlenecks include the lack of quantitative diffusion models, unresolved efficiency–quality conflicts, underutilized process side-streams, and limited pilot-scale validation. Conclusions Future priorities include integrated biorefinery design, real-time process monitoring, pilot-scale validation, and standardized quality-assessment frameworks for circular pomelo-peel valorization.
Background Meat spoilage is often described as a consequence of microbial contamination and growth, yet deterioration in stored meat is better understood as an ecological and regulatory process. Storage temperature, oxygen availability, and packaging atmosphere select dominant spoilage organisms from the initial microbiota, which then convert niche dominance into sensory defects through coordinated activities. Scope and approach This review examines quorum sensing (QS) as a mechanism linking ecological selection of spoilage microorganisms with the emergence and amplification of spoilage phenotypes. We summarize contamination routes and major spoilage groups in livestock and poultry meat, discuss QS systems based on N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs), autoinducing peptides (AIPs), and autoinducer-2 (AI-2), and consider how QS operates within structured meat microenvironments. Key findings and conclusions Current evidence indicates that AHL-type signals are the most consistently supported QS signals in meat spoilage, whereas evidence for AI-2- and AIP-mediated regulation remains limited. QS can promote colonization, biofilm formation, extracellular enzyme secretion, nutrient acquisition, and interspecies interactions, thereby linking local microbial growth to community-level spoilage output. Importantly, meat is not a homogeneous culture medium. Matrix structure, diffusion constraints, biofilm development, and multispecies interactions may stabilize public-goods cooperation and generate spatially heterogeneous QS activation, although direct spatial evidence in authentic meat remains limited. This microecological perspective provides a plausible framework for explaining how spoilage phenotypes may intensify nonlinearly. QS-targeted strategies warrant further evaluation as complements to conventional microbial control, particularly in spatially protected microzones and biofilms.
Background Obesity has reached pandemic proportions worldwide, primarily fueled by overconsumption of energy-dense, high-fat foods. Although the pharmacological agent orlistat lowers fat absorption, its gastrointestinal side effects and poor long-term compliance have stimulated interest in safer food-based strategies. Modulating gastrointestinal lipid digestion and absorption thus represents a promising non-pharmacological strategy for obesity management. Scope and Approach This review moves beyond lipase-only summaries to analyze multi-target lipid digestion inhibition across physiological intervention nodes covering gastric/small intestinal lipolysis, oil-water interfacial remodeling, bile salt micelle formation, enterocytic lipid transport, white adipose browning, gut microbiota homeostasis and central appetite signaling. We systematically assess natural lipid regulators, including polysaccharides, protein, bioactive peptides, phenolics, and postbiotics, with a strong emphasis on structure-activity relationships. Critically, we discuss the food matrix barrier, analyzing manufacturability, sensory defects, and systemic safety risks as impediments to clinical translation, alongside emerging artificial intelligence technologies and personalized nutrition frameworks. Key Findings and Conclusions Lipid digestion inhibitors function via interconnected mechanisms, yet their efficacy is heavily shaped by physicochemical interactions within complex food matrices. Interfacial engineering and food-grade nanocarrier systems exhibit superior potential to overcome food matrix interference and advance practical functional food applications. Targeted interfacial design, computational screening, and population stratification by genetics and gut microbial profiles will underpin next-generation lipid-regulating functional foods. This work delivers a comprehensive strategic roadmap to translate promising in vitro data into clinically viable, consumer-friendly applications. Future research should prioritize clinically relevant digestion models, human intervention studies, safety evaluation, and scalable food-grade delivery platforms.
Background The application of wheat bran (WBr) is constrained by the heterogeneous, cross-linked fiber matrix, which competes for water, disrupts gluten-network continuity, and impairs the texture of whole-wheat products. Microbial fermentation offers a targeted route to loosen cell-wall structures and redistribute fiber fractions. Although traditional fermented foods provide rich microbial reservoirs, the conversion into reproducible WBr starters remains limited by incomplete functional attribution and poor recovery of key populations. Scope and approach This review evaluates the structure–function relationships of WBr fiber fractions and summarizes fermentation-induced modifications achieved by monocultures and natural microbial communities. Microorganisms from traditional fermented ecosystems are assessed according to the contributions to matrix loosening, acidification, leavening, and community support. Recent advances in multi-omics analysis, cultivation strategies, and functional screening approaches are discussed for linking community-level characteristics with recoverable microorganisms and measurable WBr-modifying activities. Key findings and conclusions Structural remodeling of WBr, rather than soluble dietary fiber enrichment alone, determines the functional outcomes of fermentation. Functional microbial guilds associated with fiber modification, fermentation regulation, and product performance provide a basis for evaluating candidate microorganisms and developing starter consortia. Although traditional fermented-food microbiota represents valuable resources for designed consortia development, microbial combinations require validation under WBr-specific conditions to confirm functional compatibility, stability, safety, and product performance. This review highlights the transition from microbial resource discovery to function-oriented consortium development for improved WBr utilization.
