Phenolic compounds are minor metabolites usually present in mushroom species. Because of their potential advantages for human health, such as antioxidant and other biological activities, these bioactive components have been gaining more interest as functional foods, nutraceutical agents for providing better health conditions. This review aims to comprehensively discuss the recent advances in mushroom phenolic compounds, including new sources, structural characteristics, biological activities, potential uses and its industrial applications as well as the future perspectives. Phenolic acids as well as flavonoids are considered the most common phenolics occurring in mushroom species. These are responsible for its bioactivities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antihyperglycaemic, antiosteoporotic, anti-tyrosinase and antimicrobial activities. Several edible mushroom species with good phenolic content and show higher biological activity were highlighted, in a way for its futuristic applications. Trends on mushroom research highlighting new research areas, such as nanoformulation were discussed. Furthermore, the use of phenolic compounds as nutraceutical and cosmeceutical agents as well as the future perspectives and recommendations were made.

Drying is one of the foremost and important steps during the processing of agricultural crops, medicinal plants and herbs to preserve their properties. The present review provides a detailed overview regarding the effect of drying techniques on the physio-chemical properties (microstructure, color, aroma composition) and bioactive compounds (phenolic compounds, carotenoids, essential oils, etc.) of plant materials. Factors affecting different drying processes and their optimization strategies have also been discussed. Furthermore, current trends in the development of drying techniques for plant materials in terms of the retention of their bioactive compounds are critically analyzed. Based on the published research articles, oven drying, and microwave drying are the preferable techniques for most plant parts; while for drying the plant extract, freeze/spray drying methods have gained higher interest. Finally, recommendations are made considering the better use of drying techniques for both plant materials and retention of their bioactive compounds.

Insulin resistance is an abnormal physiological state that occurs when insulin from pancreatic β-cells is unable to trigger a signal transduction pathway in target organs such as the liver, muscles and adipose tissues. The loss of insulin sensitivity is generally associated with persistent hyperglycemia (diabetes), hyperinsulinemia, fatty acids and/or lipid dysregulation which are often prevalent under obesity conditions. Hence, insulin sensitizers are one class of drugs currently employed to treat diabetes and associated metabolic disorders. A number of natural products that act through multiple mechanisms have also been identified to enhance insulin sensitivity in target organs. One group of such compounds that gained interest in recent years are the dietary anthocyanins. Data from their in vitro, in vivo and clinical studies are scrutinized in this communication to show their potential health benefit through ameliorating insulin resistance. Specific mechanism of action ranging from targeting specific signal transduction receptors/enzymes to the general antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms of insulin resistance are presented.

Anthocyanins have received considerable attention for the development of food products with attractive colors and potential health benefits. However, anthocyanin applications have been hindered by stability issues, especially in the context of complex food matrices and diverse processing methods. From the natural microenvironment of plants to complex processed food matrices and formulations, there may happen comprehensive changes to anthocyanins, leading to unpredictable stability behavior under various processing conditions. In particular, anthocyanin hydration, degradation, and oxidation during thermal operations in the presence of oxygen represent major challenges. First, this review aims to summarize our current understanding of key anthocyanin stability issues focusing on the chemical properties and their consequences in complex food systems. The subsequent efforts to examine plenty of cases attempt to unravel a universal pattern and provide thorough guidance for future food practice regarding anthocyanins. Additionally, we put forward a model with highlights on the role of the balance between anthocyanin release and degradation in stability evaluations. Our goal is to engender updated insights into anthocyanin stability behavior under food processing conditions and provide a robust foundation for the development of anthocyanin stabilization strategies, expecting to promote more and deeper progress in this field.

Cocoa husk is considered a waste product after cocoa processing and creates environmental issues. These waste products are rich in polyphenols, methylxanthine, dietary fibers, and phytosterols, which can be extracted and utilized in various food and health products. Cocoa beans represent only 32–34% of fruit weight. Various extraction methods were implemented for the preparation of extracts and/or the recovery of bioactive compounds. Besides conventional extraction methods, various studies have been conducted using advanced extraction methods, including microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE), subcritical water extraction (SWE), supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), and pressurized liquid extraction (PLE). To include cocoa husk waste products or extracts in different food products, various functional foods such as bakery products, jam, chocolate, beverage, and sausage were prepared. This review mainly focused on the composition and functional characteristics of cocoa husk waste products and their utilization in different food products. Moreover, recommendations were made for the complete utilization of these waste products and their involvement in the circular economy.