Anthocyanins, as the most common and widely distributed flavonoid compounds, are widely present in fruits and vegetables. Anthocyanins show various biological activities including antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and immunomodulatory activities. Hence, anthocyanins are widely used in the fields of food and pharmaceuticals. However, anthocyanins are susceptible to environmental and processing factors due to their structural characteristics, which leads to poor storage and processing stability. Numerous studies have indicated that structural modification, co-pigmentation, and delivery systems could improve the stability and bioavailability of anthocyanins in the external environment. This article reviews the main factors affecting the stability of anthocyanins. Moreover, this review comprehensively introduces methods to improve the stability of anthocyanins. Finally, the current problems and future research advances of anthocyanins are also introduced. The findings can provide important references for deeper research on the stability, biological activities, and bioavailability of anthocyanins.

Capsaicin (trans-8-methyl-N-vanillyl-6-nonenamide), a well-known vanilloid, which is the main spicy component in chili peppers, showing several biological activities and the potential applications range from food flavorings to therapeutics. Traditional extraction of capsaicin by organic solvents was time-consuming, some new methods such as aqueous two-phase method and ionic liquid extraction method have been developed. During past few decades, an ample variety of biological effects of capsaicin have been evaluated. Capsaicin can be used in biofilms and antifouling coatings due to its antimicrobial activity, allowing it has a promising application in food packaging, food preservation, marine environment and dental therapy. Capsaicin also play a crucial role in metabolic disorders, including weight loss, pressure lowing and insulin reduction effects. In addition, capsaicin was identified effective on preventing human cancers, such as lung cancer, stomach cancer, colon cancer and breast cancer by inducing apoptosis and inhibiting cell proliferation of tumor cells. Previous research also suggest the positive effects of capsaicin on pain relief and cognitive impairment. Capsaicin, the agonist of transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1), could selectively activate TRPV1, inducing Ca²⁺ influx and related signaling pathways. Recently, gut microbiota was also involved in some diseases therapeutics, but its influence on the effects of capsaicin still need to be deeply studied. In this review, different extraction and purification methods of capsaicin, its biological activities and pharmacological effects were systematically summarized, as well as the possible mechanisms were also deeply discussed. This article will give an updated and better understanding of capsaicin-related biological effects and provide theoretical basis for its further research and applications in human health and manufacture development.

Pomegranate is widely cultivated across China, and the phenolics in its peel are principal components associated with health benefits. Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to a quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer (UHPLC-QTOF-MS) and ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (UPLC-QQQ-MS) were used in this study, aiming at profiling the total phenolic composition in pomegranate peel from nine selected cultivars in 7 production areas. Sixty-four phenolic compounds were identified or annotated, and 23 of them were firstly reported in pomegranate peel. Principal component analysis (PCA) plots show differences and similarities of phenolics among nine cultivars. Furthermore, 15 phenolic compounds were quantified with the standards, and punicalagin, ellagic acid, gallocatechin, punicalin, catechin, and corilagin were found to be dominant. Punicalagin weighed the highest content (28.03–104.14 mg/g). This study can provide a deeper and more detailed insight into the phenolic composition in pomegranate peel and facilitate the health-promoting utilization of phenolics.