Nowadays, biopolymers as intelligent and active biopolymer systems in the food and pharmaceutical industry are of considerable interest in their use. With this association in view, biopolymers such as chitosan, alginate, pectin, cellulose, agarose, guar gum, agar, carrageenan, gelatin, dextran, xanthan, and other polymers have received significant attention in recent years due to their abundance and natural availability. Furthermore, their versatile properties such as non-toxicity, biocompatibility, biodegradability, and flexibility offer significant functionalities with multifunctional applications. The purpose of this review is to summarize the most compatible biopolymers such as chitosan, alginate, and pectin, which are used for application in food, biotechnological processes, and biomedical applications. Therefore, chitosan, alginate, and pectin are biopolymers (used in the food industry as a stabilizing, thickening, capsular agent, and packaging) with great potential for future developments. Moreover, this review highlights their characteristics, with a particular focus on their potential for biocompatibility, biodegradability, bioadhesiveness, and their limitations on certain factors in the human gastrointestinal tract.

One significant food group that is part of our daily diet is the dairy group, and both research and industry are actively involved to meet the increasing requirement for plant-based dairy alternatives (PBDAs). The production tendency of PBDAs is growing with a predictable rate of over 18.5% in 2023 from 7.4% at the moment. A multitude of sources can be used for development such as cereals, pseudocereals, legumes, nuts, and seeds to obtain food products such as vegetal milk, cheese, cream, yogurt, butter, and different sweets, such as ice cream, which have nearly similar nutritional profiles to those of animal-origin products. Increased interest in PBDAs is manifested in groups with special dietary needs (e.g., lactose intolerant individuals, pregnant women, newborns, and the elderly) or with pathologies such as metabolic syndromes, dermatological diseases, and arthritis. In spite of the vast range of production perspectives, certain industrial challenges arise during development, such as processing and preservation technologies. This paper aims at providing an overview of the currently available PBDAs based on recent studies selected from the electronic databases PubMed, Web of Science Core Collection, and Scopus. We found 148 publications regarding PBDAs in correlation with their nutritional and technological aspects, together with the implications in terms of health. Therefore, this review focuses on the relationship between plant-based alternatives for dairy products and the human diet, from the raw material to the final products, including the industrial processes and health-related concerns.

Active films were prepared from poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) blended with itaconic acid (Ia), and with chitosan (Ch), enriched with tomato processing by-products extract (TBE) in order to develop new bioactive formulations for food packaging. The effects of two biopolymers (Ch, Ia) and of the incorporated TBE—containing phenolic compounds and carotenoids—were studied regarding the physical and antimicrobial properties of films; in addition, their influence on the total phenolic content, viscosity, and flow behavior on the film-forming solutions was investigated. The results showed increased physical properties (diameter, thickness, density, weight) of the films containing the TBE versus their control. TBE and Ch conferred significant antimicrobial effects to PVA films toward all the tested microorganisms, whereas the best inhibition was registered against S. aureus and P. aeruginosa, with a minimum inhibitory concentration of <0.078 mg DW/mL. The Ia-PVA films also exhibited some antibacterial activity against P. aeruginosa (2.5 mg DW/mL). The total phenolic content of the film-forming solutions presented the highest values for the TBE and Ch-added PVA samples (0.208 mg gallic acid/100 mL film-forming solution). These results suggest that the PVA + Ch film containing TBE can be used for the development of intelligent and active food packaging materials.

Dietary habits that include an excess of added sugars have been strongly associated with an increased risk of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and tooth decay. With this association in view, modern food systems aim to replace added sugars with low calorie sweeteners, such as polyols. Polyols are generally not carcinogenic and do not trigger a glycemic response. Furthermore, owing to the absence of the carbonyl group, they are more stable compared to monosaccharides and do not participate in Maillard reactions. As such, since polyols are stable at high temperatures, and they do not brown or caramelize when heated. Therefore, polyols are widely used in the diets of hypocaloric and diabetic patients, as well as other specific cases where controlled caloric intake is required. In recent years, erythritol and mannitol have gained increased importance, especially in the food and pharmaceutical industries. In these areas, research efforts have been made to improve the productivity and yield of the two polyols, relying on biotechnological manufacturing methods. The present review highlights the recent advances in the biotechnological production of erythritol and mannitol and summarizes the benefits of using the two polyols in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

Polyphenols of plant origin are a broad family of secondary metabolites that range from basic phenolic acids to more complex compounds such as stilbenes, flavonoids, and tannins, all of which have several phenol units in their structure. Considerable health benefits, such as having prebiotic potential and cardio-protective and weight control effects, have been linked to diets based on polyphenol-enriched foods and plant-based products, indicating the potential role of these substances in the prevention or treatment of numerous pathologies. The most representative phenolic compounds in apple pomace are phloridzin, chlorogenic acid, and epicatechin, with major health implications in diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular and neurocognitive diseases. The cereal byproducts are rich in flavonoids (cyanidin 3-glucoside) and phenolic acids (ferulic acid), all with significant results in reducing the incidence of noncommunicable diseases. Quercetin, naringenin, and rutin are the predominant phenolic molecules in tomato by-products, having important antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. The present understanding of the functionality of polyphenols in health outcomes, specifically, noncommunicable illnesses, is summarized in this review, focusing on the applicability of this evidence in three extensive agrifood industries (apple, cereal, and tomato processing). Moreover, the reintegration of by-products into the food chain via functional food products and personalized nutrition (e.g., 3D food printing) is detailed, supporting a novel direction to be explored within the circular economy concept.