Virgin coconut oil (VCO) is obtained by processing mature coconut cores with mechanical or natural methods. In recent years, VCO has been widely used in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries because of its excellent functional activities. VCO has biological functions such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antiviral, and also has potential therapeutic effects on many chronic degenerative diseases. Among these functions, the antioxidant is the most basic and important function, which is mainly determined by phenolic compounds and medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs). This review aims to elucidate the antioxidant functions of each phenolic compound in VCO, and discuss the antioxidant mechanisms of VCO in terms of the role of phenolic compounds with fat, intestinal microorganisms, and various organs. Besides, the composition of VCO and its application in various industries are summarized, and the biological functions of VCO are generalized, which should lay a foundation for further research on the antioxidant activity of VCO and provide a theoretical basis for the development of food additives with antioxidant activity.
18 December 2022 in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition
Citrus peel, as an effective component of citrus by-products, contains a large number of natural active components, including pectin, vitamins, dietary fiber, essential oil, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and so on. With the development of the circular economy, citrus peel has attracted extensive concern in the food industry. The exploitation of citrus peel would assist in excavating potential properties and alleviating the environmental burden. Polymethoxyflavones (PMFs) exist almost in citrus peel, which have remarkable biological activities including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and anti-obesity. Therefore, PMFs from citrus peel have the potential to develop as dietary supplements in the near future. Collectively, it is essential to take action to optimize the extraction conditions of PMFs and make the most of the extracts. This review mainly compiles several extraction methods and bioactivities of PMFs from citrus peel and introduces different applications including food processing, pharmaceutical industry, and plant rhizosphere to develop better utilization of citrus PMFs. Graphical abstract
Microorganisms in food do harms to human. They can cause serious adverse reactions and sometimes even death. So it is an urgent matter to find an effective method to control them. The research of intelligent- biosensor packaging is in the ascendant in recent years, which is mainly promoted by reflecting on food safety and reducing resource waste. Intelligent biosensor-packaging is an instant and efficient intelligent packaging technology, which can directly and scientifically manifest the quality of food without complex operation. In this review, the purposes of providing relevant information on intelligent biosensor-packaging are reviewed, such as types of biosensors for monitoring foodborne microorganism, the suitable material for intelligent biosensor-packaging and design and fabrication of intelligent biosensor-packaging. The potential of intelligent biosensor-packaging in the detection of foodborne microorganisms is emphasized. The challenges and directions of the intelligent biosensor-packaging in the detection of foodborne pathogens are discussed. With the development of science and technology in the future, the intelligent biosensor-packaging should be commercialized in a real sense. And it is expected that commercial products can be manufactured in the future, which will provide a far-reaching approach in food safety and food prevention.