Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr [JOURNAL]
Sun
200 papers
A smart nutrition system for vitamin B deficiency management from sensing to precision intervention.
Tang Y, Zheng X, Yan F
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr · 2026 Jun · PMID 42317139 · Publisher ↗
Vitamin B is essential for neural function, red blood cell formation, and DNA synthesis, yet its deficiency persists as a global health burden driving megaloblastic anemia, neuropathy, and cognitive decline. Effective pr...
Vitamin B is essential for neural function, red blood cell formation, and DNA synthesis, yet its deficiency persists as a global health burden driving megaloblastic anemia, neuropathy, and cognitive decline. Effective prevention is constrained by the vitamin's susceptibility to degradation during processing, storage, and cooking, its intricate absorption physiology, and the failure of conventional diagnostic and supplementation strategies to address the diverse underlying causes of deficiency. This review introduces a closed-loop smart nutrition system that integrates monitoring, intelligent diagnosis, and precision supplementation to overcome these challenges, shifting B management from a generalized one size fits all model toward dynamic, personalized health interventions. We critically survey emerging sensors and wearable devices capable of frequent B status assessment, discuss the application of artificial intelligence for deficiency diagnosis and tailored dietary guidance, and examine advanced delivery platforms including three dimensional printed formulations and sensor integrated systems that enable feedback controlled supplementation. By synthesizing these technological pillars, this review provides a roadmap for replacing static, reactive B management with a real time, feedback controlled precision nutrition strategy. The proposed framework aims to close the loop between detection and intervention, offering a transformative pathway for addressing B deficiency at both individual and population levels.
Tea and digestive system health: integrating gut microbiota-involved ADME and personalized nutrition for gastrointestinal disorders intervention.
Yue R, Wen Y, Zhao S … +4 more , Liu X, Luo L, Liu Y, Zeng L
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr · 2026 Jun · PMID 42317058 · Publisher ↗
The global burden of digestive diseases is escalating, marked by rising incidence and severity. Tea, a widely consumed beverage rich in polyphenols, offers a promising dietary intervention due to its demonstrated capacit...
The global burden of digestive diseases is escalating, marked by rising incidence and severity. Tea, a widely consumed beverage rich in polyphenols, offers a promising dietary intervention due to its demonstrated capacity to modulate gut microbiota, suppress inflammation, and enhance gastrointestinal barrier function. This review provides a systematic integration of the ADME characteristics of key tea compounds with their complex interplay with the gut microbiome, underscoring the central role of microbial biotransformation in mediating the health benefits of tea. We critically examine the specific protective mechanisms of tea against prevalent gastrointestinal disorders, including gastritis, gastric ulcers, inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, and diarrhea. A major focus is placed on the pivotal impact of interindividual variability, shaped by host factors and distinct gut microbial metabolic phenotypes, on the outcomes of tea-based interventions. This synthesis thus advances a novel "component-microbiota-metabolite-host" axis as a unifying framework for understanding tea's pleiotropic mechanisms in gastrointestinal health. Beyond mechanistic insight, the review lays a conceptual foundation and proposes a translational roadmap for developing evidence‑based, personalized tea interventions aligned with precision nutrition.
Functionalized tea polyphenols in food: from design to application.
Wang Z, Zheng Q, Wang S … +3 more , Chen H, Li Z, Zhang X
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr · 2026 Jun · PMID 42312331 · Publisher ↗
Tea polyphenols (TPs) exhibit diverse bioactivities and are increasingly recognized as promising multifunctional components in advanced food systems. Owing to their unstable structures and low bioavailability, research f...
Tea polyphenols (TPs) exhibit diverse bioactivities and are increasingly recognized as promising multifunctional components in advanced food systems. Owing to their unstable structures and low bioavailability, research focus has shifted from the direct application of individual TPs to the design of functionalized TPs complexes that co-assemble TPs with food matrices (e.g., proteins, polysaccharides, lipids, and minerals). This review systematically summarizes the molecular interaction mechanisms of functionalized TPs, including covalent and noncovalent interactions (e.g., hydrophobic interactions and metal coordination), and discusses how these interactions regulate the structural organization, physicochemical stability, and functional properties of functionalized TPs. We further highlight the enhanced functionalities of these complexes, including improved antioxidant and antimicrobial activity, stabilization of flavor compounds, nutrient protection, and improved bioavailability. Moreover, their applications in food preservation, structural modulation, and flavor enhancement are also summarized. Furthermore, we propose integrating machine learning and molecular simulation to systematically elucidate the molecular interaction mechanisms of functionalized TPs, thereby promoting the application of structure-oriented scalable industrial production. Overall, functionalized TPs complexes represent a pivotal approach to overcoming the limitations of free TPs, offering a robust foundation for their incorporation into next-generation functional foods and health-promoting products.
Multifunctional carbon dot-based sensors for smart food packaging applications.
Ahmad K, Rhim JW
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr · 2026 Jun · PMID 42307758 · Publisher ↗
The global drive to improve food safety, extend shelf life, and reduce food waste has necessitated the development of efficient, sustainable, and viable active and intelligent packaging solutions. Carbon dots (CDs) synth...
The global drive to improve food safety, extend shelf life, and reduce food waste has necessitated the development of efficient, sustainable, and viable active and intelligent packaging solutions. Carbon dots (CDs) synthesized from biomass and food waste have become globally accepted nanoparticles with excellent optical, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties, making them ideal candidates for monitoring and preserving perishable foods. Their production through green synthesis routes aligns with the principles of the circular economy while providing multifunctional sensing capabilities. This review establishes the mechanisms governing CD-based sensing-including quenching, enhancement, and ratiometric detection-and highlights their role in identifying critical food quality indicators such as pH, volatile amines, and microbial contaminants. In addition, this review addresses important safety and biocompatibility aspects, specifically investigating CD migration and emphasizing that short-term cytotoxicity tests (often known to show high cell viability) are insufficient as safety tests alone, and that studies can reveal lethality or chronic toxicity based on surface chemistry. The main challenges, including scalability of synthesis, regulatory hurdles, and consumer-related barriers such as perceived accuracy and economic deterrents, are outlined. Altogether, CDs represent a prospective class of sustainable nanomaterials that will enhance next-generation technologies in smart food packaging.
Nutritional and biological insights into natural α-glycerylphosphoryl derivatives (α-NGPs): a comprehensive review of α-GPA, α-GPC, α-GPE, α-GPI, and α-GPS.
Kang G, Lee SB, Kim M … +8 more , Xu G, Ding K, Shen J, Hong JY, Reaney MJT, Kim JK, Kim YJ, Shim YY
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr · 2026 Jun · PMID 42299118 · Publisher ↗
This is the first comprehensive review to systematically evaluate the entire family of natural alpha-glycerylphosphoryl derivatives (α-NGPs), redefining them as essential bioactive metabolites with critical impacts on ne...
This is the first comprehensive review to systematically evaluate the entire family of natural alpha-glycerylphosphoryl derivatives (α-NGPs), redefining them as essential bioactive metabolites with critical impacts on neurocognition, membrane homeostasis, and mitochondrial dynamics. While α-glycerylphosphorylcholine (α-GPC) is widely studied for amplifying cholinergic neurotransmission and post-exercise growth hormone secretion, the physiological contributions of its structural analogs (α-GPA, α-GPE, α-GPI, and α-GPS) remain severely overlooked. We elucidate their interconnected biosynthetic pathways, highlighting synergistic benefits like the cooperative action of α-GPC and α-GPS in neuroprotection. Critically, we address an oxidative paradox where supraphysiological α-GPC intake induces localized stress, proposing a hypothetical mechanistic model in which α-GPA potentially neutralizes these adverse effects by inhibiting Drp1-mediated mitochondrial fission. To overcome severe analytical bottlenecks in quantifying trace α-NGPs, we advocate integrating multidimensional NMR, HRMS, FTIR, and HPLC. Furthermore, we highlight a commercial paradigm shift toward zero-waste, sustainable α-GPC production by valorizing fermentation by-products within a circular bioeconomy. Ultimately, exploiting the synergistic interplay among these metabolites necessitates a transition from single-molecule supplementation to multi-lipid strategies. Standardizing nomenclature and expanding rigorous analytical profiling are critical to fully harness the therapeutic potential of α-NGPs against neurodegeneration, metabolic dysfunction, and aging-related decline.
Technological properties and applications of mushroom-based ingredients in innovative food products.
Noguera NH, Gigante ML
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr · 2026 Jun · PMID 42295110 · Publisher ↗
The growing demand for sustainable, functional, and nutritionally enhanced foods has intensified the search for alternative ingredients capable of meeting both technological and health-related requirements. In this conte...
The growing demand for sustainable, functional, and nutritionally enhanced foods has intensified the search for alternative ingredients capable of meeting both technological and health-related requirements. In this context, mushrooms have emerged as promising multifunctional resources due to their nutritional composition, bioactive compounds, and techno-functional properties. This review provides a critical analysis of mushroom-based ingredients, focusing on the relationship between fractionation, structure, and techno-functionality, and their role in innovative food products. General aspects related to production, structure, composition, health benefits, post-harvest practices, processing, and preservation are first examined within a comprehensive approach that spans from cultivation to the final product. After, advances in extraction and fractionation processes, including alkaline extraction-isoelectric precipitation, hot water extraction, and ultrasound-assisted techniques, are discussed in terms of their impact on molecular architecture and functional performance. Evidence shows that techno-functional properties are strongly dependent on processing conditions, with tradeoffs between yield, purity, and functionality. Applications in cereal-, dairy-, meat-, and emerging food systems demonstrate the ability of mushroom-derived ingredients to enhance nutritional quality, modulate texture, and contribute to flavor development. However, challenges related to variability, scalability, and sensory acceptance remains key limitations. Overall, mushrooms should be viewed not only as nutritional ingredients, but as functional structuring agents in next-generation food systems.
Determinants of potentially toxic element concentrations in human milk: a scoping review.
Godinho APK, Siqueira IMBJ, Oliveira A … +2 more , Almeida CCB, Cavalcante-Silva RPV
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr · 2026 Jun · PMID 42287709 · Publisher ↗
Human milk is recognized as the gold standard for infant nutrition. However, increasing environmental contamination by potentially toxic elements has raised concerns about infant exposure during lactation. This study aim...
Human milk is recognized as the gold standard for infant nutrition. However, increasing environmental contamination by potentially toxic elements has raised concerns about infant exposure during lactation. This study aimed to map and synthesize current scientific evidence on factors associated with these elements in human milk. A scoping review was conducted following JBI methodology, with searches in PubMed, Scopus, Embase, BVS, and the CAPES Journals Portal. Eligible studies were original articles published between 2015 and 2025 that quantified potentially toxic elements in human milk and examined associated factors. Of the 3,151 records identified, 44 studies met the inclusion criteria, with most using cross-sectional designs and originating from Asia and Europe. ICP-MS was the most frequently employed analytical technique. Across 22 investigated elements, 11 showed associations with explanatory factors, with arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury most often assessed. At the individual level, element concentrations were linked to maternal diet, cosmetic use, passive smoking, and selected biological and environmental characteristics. Contextual evidence indicated higher concentrations in mining, industrialized, and coastal areas. Overall, the literature shows substantial methodological heterogeneity and limited multivariable modeling, underscoring the need for improved analytical standardization and structural actions to reduce environmental exposure sources while safeguarding breastfeeding.
Near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS): a catalyst for digital transformation in black tea production.
Zhu H, Niu L, Yan L … +2 more , Liu Z, Jiang Y
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr · 2026 Jun · PMID 42287675 · Publisher ↗
Black tea is the most widely consumed tea globally, yet its traditional empirical production suffers from unstable quality and low efficiency, conflicting with modern industrial standards. Near infrared spectroscopy (NIR...
Black tea is the most widely consumed tea globally, yet its traditional empirical production suffers from unstable quality and low efficiency, conflicting with modern industrial standards. Near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), a rapid and nondestructive technological tool, has emerged as key enable for the digital transformation of black tea production by supporting data-driven processing decisions and real-time quality assessment. This review summarizes NIRS across all black tea processing stages and post-production control, identifies core technical bottlenecks hindering industrial scaling with targeted solutions, and outlines future directions focusing on data fusion and monitoring-control system integration. Literature analysis reveals NIRS is validated for most scenarios of black tea production but remains predominantly lab-based, in industrial application is promising with advanced devices and algorithms. This review bridges lab-industry gaps, laying a foundation for Industry 4.0-aligned data-driven precision production in the black tea industry.
Chronotoxicity of dietary acrylamide: insights from circadian neurobiology and translational toxicology.
Górska-Andrzejak J
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr · 2026 Jun · PMID 42287644 · Publisher ↗
Acrylamide is a well-known neurotoxic and potentially carcinogenic compound formed during high-temperature (>120 °C) food processing via the Maillard reaction between reducing sugars and the amino acid asparagine. Emergi...
Acrylamide is a well-known neurotoxic and potentially carcinogenic compound formed during high-temperature (>120 °C) food processing via the Maillard reaction between reducing sugars and the amino acid asparagine. Emerging evidence from vertebrate and invertebrate models indicates that dietary acrylamide disrupts circadian rhythmicity-a fundamental biological process governing metabolic and behavioral homeostasis. This review introduces the concept of a "chronotoxin," defined as a toxicant that disrupts circadian regulation and produces circadian-related toxic effects, and proposes acrylamide as a relevant candidate. We summarize mechanistic insights into acrylamide-driven circadian disruption, focusing on oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, kinase signaling pathways (ERK/CREB/BDNF), and interactions with melatonin and serotonin systems. Furthermore, we highlight the translational relevance of circadian biomarkers in dietary neurotoxicology and public health monitoring, particularly under chronic, low-dose exposure. In this context, circadian endpoints may be informative for extrapolating findings to dietary exposure scenarios, while acknowledging inherent differences between experimental and dietary conditions. This review advances the concept of chronotoxicity by identifying acrylamide as a model compound for studying circadian disruption, with implications for biomarker development, dietary risk assessment, and public health monitoring, and provides a framework for evaluating circadian aspects of neurotoxicity linked to food-borne chemicals.
Indigenous underutilized fruits in Bangladesh as future resilient foods: insight into the nutritional value, bioactive compounds, and health benefits.
Islam MR, Halim MA, Ahmed T … +1 more , Hasan SMK
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr · 2026 Jun · PMID 42287183 · Publisher ↗
Bangladesh hosts a wide variety of indigenous fruits that have long contributed to rural nutrition and health, yet they remain largely underutilized in modern agriculture and food systems. These fruits are naturally resi...
Bangladesh hosts a wide variety of indigenous fruits that have long contributed to rural nutrition and health, yet they remain largely underutilized in modern agriculture and food systems. These fruits are naturally resilient to environmental stresses and well-suited to local agro-ecological conditions, making them valuable resources for enhancing food and nutrition security, especially in the face of increasing climate change pressures. Many of these fruits also have high nutritional and medicinal value, which can help address dietary nutrient deficiencies. This review highlights several promising underutilized fruits and examines their potential as future resilient foods. It explores their nutritional composition, health benefits, diversity, cultivation status, market availability, and importance within local food systems. In addition, the study considers opportunities for value-added product development and evaluates their potential contribution to food security and sustainability through SWOT analysis aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 2 (Zero Hunger). Findings indicate that many underutilized fruits in Bangladesh are rich in essential nutrients and bioactive compounds, often exceeding the nutritional quality of widely consumed commercial fruits. Species such as Karonda (), Tamarind (), and Custard Apple () show strong antioxidant and therapeutic properties, emphasizing their potential for creating resilient, nutrition-focused, and sustainable food systems.
Future trends in 3D-printed oleogels based on personalized nutrition and applications.
Abou-Elsoud M, Zahran H, Abo-Elwafa G … +6 more , Li Z, Khalifa I, Sun H, Cai Z, Ahn DU, Huang X
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr · 2026 Jun · PMID 42281366 · Publisher ↗
Edible oleogels have emerged as a promising alternative to traditional solid fats, offering a healthier option by replacing saturated and trans fats with structured vegetable oils. These gels, composed of edible oils and...
Edible oleogels have emerged as a promising alternative to traditional solid fats, offering a healthier option by replacing saturated and trans fats with structured vegetable oils. These gels, composed of edible oils and oleogelators, mimic the functional properties of solid fats while providing enhanced nutritional benefits. Their versatility makes them suitable for a range of food products, including baked goods, ice cream, and chocolate. This review explores the latest advancements in oleogel technology, focusing on their formulation, oleogelation methods, and applications in 3D-printing for personalized nutrition. Structuring techniques, such as direct dispersion, emulsion templating, foam templating, and solvent exchange, are discussed, highlighting their unique advantages in terms of texture, stability, and sensory attributes. The integration of oleogels into 3D-printing technology offers new opportunities to design customized food products tailored to individual dietary needs. Such applications enable the creation of sustainable, functional foods with enhanced health benefits. Despite notable progress, challenges such as optimizing rheological properties, ensuring scalability, and gaining consumer acceptance remain. Nonetheless, oleogels hold great potential for the development of next-generation food systems, particularly in personalized nutrition, and represent a transformative innovation in advancing food science and technology.
An in-depth analysis of the core microbiota of : a comprehensive evaluation of its influences and significance for food safety.
Bento de Carvalho T, Teixeira P, Bastos Barbosa J
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr · 2026 Jun · PMID 42268994 · Publisher ↗
The microbiota of edible insects is increasingly recognized as a key factor in ensuring food safety, quality, and consumer acceptance. Understanding bacterial communities associated with , a high-potential insect in the...
The microbiota of edible insects is increasingly recognized as a key factor in ensuring food safety, quality, and consumer acceptance. Understanding bacterial communities associated with , a high-potential insect in the alternative protein industry, is essential for its safe use as a human food source. This systematic review synthesizes experimental studies reporting the microbiota of whole larvae, published between 2015 and 2025, identified in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, following PRISMA guidelines. Seven studies met the inclusion criteria, reflecting the limited but growing research on this topic. Despite heterogeneity, a reproducible core microbiota was identified. were detected in all studies, while and were reported in four. Other detected taxa included and . These families comprise both beneficial microorganisms and opportunistic pathogens, highlighting the dual role of the mealworm microbiota and its relevance for food safety. Mealworm microbiota is influenced by rearing conditions, origin, methodologies, but certain taxa remain consistently present. Findings emphasize the promise and challenges of mealworm-based foods. Current evidence is limited by small sample sizes, heterogeneity, and lack of longitudinal data. Standardized approaches and functional studies are needed to strengthen the microbial safety framework for edible insects and expedite their sustainable integration into food systems.
Osteopontin as an emerging multifunctional food ingredient: recent advancements, production, applications, and challenges.
Lin S, Teng X, Shang X … +4 more , Li S, Xu J, Tang Y, Yang R
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr · 2026 Jun · PMID 42262282 · Publisher ↗
As protein supplement products continue to evolve toward premium offerings, enhancing their nutritional value based on protein characteristics has become increasingly crucial. As one of the bioactive proteins derived fro...
As protein supplement products continue to evolve toward premium offerings, enhancing their nutritional value based on protein characteristics has become increasingly crucial. As one of the bioactive proteins derived from milk, osteopontin (OPN) possesses outstanding multifunctionality and plays a vital role , making it a promising "golden ingredient" for protein supplement products. This review systematically summarizes the diverse sources of OPN, its structural characteristics enriched with functional domains, as well as efficient extraction and recombinant expression techniques. It further elaborates on the multifunctional roles and underlying mechanisms of action of OPN. The potential applications of OPN in the food industry are thoroughly explored, along with a discussion of current challenges and future prospects, offering valuable insights for OPN research in food and nutritional applications.
Artificial intelligence in food allergen detection and prediction: advances, methodologies, and challenges.
Li H, Gao M, Li Y … +4 more , Du Z, Yang S, Jia X, Li Y
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr · 2026 Jun · PMID 42262265 · Publisher ↗
Food allergies affect over 220 million individuals worldwide and present increasing challenges due to complex food matrices and processing-induced protein modifications. Conventional detection methods, including immunoas...
Food allergies affect over 220 million individuals worldwide and present increasing challenges due to complex food matrices and processing-induced protein modifications. Conventional detection methods, including immunoassays, PCR, and mass spectrometry, provide reliable analytical tools but are often limited by matrix interference, cross-reactivity, and labor-intensive workflows. Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a complementary strategy, enabling high-throughput allergen prediction and enhanced analytical signal interpretation. This review examines recent advances in AI-driven allergen research across computational prediction and analytical detection. Machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) models achieve predictive accuracies exceeding 90% in sequence-based allergenicity assessment, outperforming traditional similarity-based methods. In analytical systems, AI-assisted spectroscopy and imaging enable rapid detection within seconds to minutes. Despite these advances, challenges remain in dataset bias, model interpretability, and cross-domain generalization. Future work should focus on explainable AI, standardized datasets, and external validation to support reliable and deployable allergen risk management systems. The integration of AI with spectroscopy, imaging, biosensing, and mass spectrometry is also highlighted.
Lutein-fortified infant formula for newborn health: a comprehensive patent review and a systematic review of clinical trials.
Si Y, Zhang Y, Li S … +2 more , Tan L, Kong L
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr · 2026 Jun · PMID 42247243 · Publisher ↗
Lutein is a diet-derived carotenoid present in human milk through maternal intake and has been associated with visual and neurodevelopmental processes in infancy. Lutein-containing infant formulas have therefore been dev...
Lutein is a diet-derived carotenoid present in human milk through maternal intake and has been associated with visual and neurodevelopmental processes in infancy. Lutein-containing infant formulas have therefore been developed to increase lutein exposure, although no evidence shows that formula fortification fully reproduces the biological effects associated with human milk. This review provides a comprehensive synthesis of clinical evidence on lutein supplementation in infants, patented formulations, and delivery technologies that influence lutein stability, bioavailability, and safety. The first section of the review evaluates lutein fortified infant formulas, including their health effects, regulatory standards, patent claims, and commercialization in the U.S. market. Although patents frequently include lutein as an optional ingredient, relatively few emphasize its developmental relevance or address the specific formulation challenges. The systematic review evaluates human and animal studies on clinical outcomes of lutein-fortified infant formulas, including lutein bioavailability, distribution in circulation and key tissues (brain and retina), safety, and tolerance. Across studies, lutein-fortified formulas consistently increase circulating lutein concentrations relative to unfortified formulas, yet bioavailability remains lower than that of breast milk. By combining both the patent and clinical literature, this review identifies critical scientific, technological, and regulatory gaps and highlights opportunities for future innovation in newborn nutrition.
Orthosilicic acid in functional foods: bioavailability, metabolism, and potential in degenerative disease prevention.
Pan R, Zeng J, Wang X … +5 more , Cui B, Deng C, Xu X, Chen ZY, Zhu H
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr · 2026 Jun · PMID 42247212 · Publisher ↗
Orthosilicic acid (OSA), the principal bioavailable form of silicon, is emerging as a vital functional food ingredient. This review synthesizes current evidence on OSA's dietary sources, bioavailability, metabolic fate,...
Orthosilicic acid (OSA), the principal bioavailable form of silicon, is emerging as a vital functional food ingredient. This review synthesizes current evidence on OSA's dietary sources, bioavailability, metabolic fate, and biological mechanisms. Given that OSA's natural bioavailability varies, stabilized delivery systems-such as choline-stabilized OSA and monomethylsilanetriol-and novel biofortification strategies are critical for optimizing its physiological benefits. Major findings indicate that OSA targets connective tissues to promote bone health by stimulating osteoblastic activity and inhibiting osteoclasts. Additionally, preclinical studies suggest that OSA has the potential to enhance collagen synthesis, support vascular repair, and exert anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects. Despite processing stability challenges, OSA holds significant promise. Future research should elucidate its combined roles, particularly within the proposed bone-vascular-immune axis. This review critically evaluates the bioavailability gaps and proposes the "Bone-Vascular-Immune Axis" as a novel theoretical framework for future functional food development.
Recent advances and critical insights of cellulose nanocrystals in active food packaging.
Gong X, Ma P, Yue Z … +8 more , Li Y, Wang J, Zhang J, Qiu C, Liang X, Fan B, Wang FZ, Tong LT
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr · 2026 Jun · PMID 42246370 · Publisher ↗
With the growing demand for food safety and environmentally sustainable packaging, the development of active packaging materials that combine preservation performance with ecological compatibility has become a major rese...
With the growing demand for food safety and environmentally sustainable packaging, the development of active packaging materials that combine preservation performance with ecological compatibility has become a major research focus. Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), owing to their high crystallinity, excellent mechanical properties, barrier potential, surface functionalizability, and biodegradability, have emerged as promising bio-based building blocks for active food packaging. This review systematically summarizes recent advances in CNC-based active food packaging, with emphasis on their sources and production methods, structure-function characteristics, and roles in barrier enhancement, active-compound loading and controlled release, antimicrobial and antioxidant performance, and multifunctional synergistic systems. Current studies show that CNCs can improve structural stability and gas-barrier performance while also serving as Pickering emulsion stabilizers, carriers of active compounds, and interfaces for release regulation, thereby enhancing the dispersion stability and sustained efficacy of essential oils, natural extracts, and inorganic active components. With these properties, CNC-based active packaging has shown considerable potential in preserving fruits and vegetables, meat products, dairy products, aquatic foods, and ready-to-eat foods. Future advances in interfacial engineering, processing technologies, multifunctional stability, and standardized regulatory and safety evaluation are expected to support broader practical application and industrial translation.
advances in biotechnological fermentation, bioactive metabolites, and health-promoting applications: a critical review (2017-2025).
Assatarakul K, Simarani K, Hsieh CC … +5 more , Lin SP, Kijpatanasilp I, Hung YR, Jafari S, Cheng KC
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr · 2026 Jun · PMID 42240206 · Publisher ↗
This critical review examines research advances from 2017 to 2025 on as a fermentation-optimized alternative within the genus. Optimized submerged and immobilized fermentation strategies enable high-yield, consistent p...
This critical review examines research advances from 2017 to 2025 on as a fermentation-optimized alternative within the genus. Optimized submerged and immobilized fermentation strategies enable high-yield, consistent production of mycelial biomass (up to 11.5 g/L) and β-1,3-glucan-rich exopolysaccharides (EPS), alongside synergistic phenolic and organic-acid fractions. These fermentation-derived metabolites exhibit distinct structural features, including high β-glucan content (up to 53%) with potential resistance to gastric digestion, supporting prebiotic effects through colonic fermentation and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production. The resulting bioactives demonstrate targeted health-promoting activities: Th1-biased immunomodulation with ∼40% tumor volume reduction in murine Lewis lung carcinoma models (moderate-quality evidence), potent tyrosinase inhibition (IC ≈118 ppm; high-quality evidence) for anti-melanogenic applications, and emerging protective effects against TGF-β1-induced lung fibrosis and PM2.5-triggered inflammation. Compared with offers advantages in fermentation scalability, phenolic potency for cosmeceuticals, and Th1-skewed immune modulation, although it shows relatively lower triterpenoid diversity. Despite lacking human trials, its fermentation-driven consistency, safety, and multi-target bioactivities make it a promising candidate for functional foods, synbiotic beverages and nutricosmetics. Future work requires genetic stability, Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)-compliant scale-up, standardized markers, and clinical validation to support nutritional use and integration into circular bioeconomy systems.
The efficacy of carbohydrate-restricted diets on reducing visceral and liver fat in individuals with overweight and obesity: a systematic review and pairwise and network meta-analyses.
Khalafi M, Habibi Maleki A, Ehsanifar M … +5 more , Aghaeinejad M, Sakhaei MH, Rosenkranz SK, Symonds ME, Ramezani F
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr · 2026 Jun · PMID 42234546 · Publisher ↗
The current systematic review aimed to investigate the efficacy of carbohydrate-restricted diets (CRDs) for improving fat distribution in individuals with overweight or obesity. A comprehensive search was conducted in Pu...
The current systematic review aimed to investigate the efficacy of carbohydrate-restricted diets (CRDs) for improving fat distribution in individuals with overweight or obesity. A comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus from inception to April 2025. Randomized trials investigating the effects of any mode of CRD, including moderate (MCD), low (LCD), or very low (VLCD) carbohydrate diets, as compared with a control group (CON) or other dietary interventions such as caloric restriction (CR), low-fat diets (LFD), or intermittent fasting (IF), were included. Results showed that CRDs significantly reduced visceral and liver fat compared with pre-intervention values. Compared with CON, VLCD, LCD, and MCD led to significantly larger reductions in visceral fat. In addition, IF, LFD, and CR reduced visceral fat. When comparing CRD modes, VLCD were significantly more effective than MCD. According to the P-score rankings, the highest ranking was observed for IF (0.91), followed by VLCD (0.84), LFD (0.62), LCD (0.46), CR (0.42), and MCD (0.25). CRDs, particularly VLCD, can be effective for reducing visceral and liver fat content in individuals with overweight and obesity, and may be considered as an alternative dietary therapy for managing obesity.
Cross-kingdom signals: microbial, metabolites, and immune cells on the gut-breast axis.
Cheong KL, Li J, Wang M … +2 more , Wang D, Zhong S
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr · 2026 Jun · PMID 42228631 · Publisher ↗
The mammary gland is a dynamic mucosal organ whose structure and function are continually reshaped across pregnancy, lactation, and involution. Emerging evidence places it within a broader gut-breast axis in which intest...
The mammary gland is a dynamic mucosal organ whose structure and function are continually reshaped across pregnancy, lactation, and involution. Emerging evidence places it within a broader gut-breast axis in which intestinal microbes and their products influence mammary immunity, epithelial programs, and the composition of human milk. Three mechanistic lanes organize this crosstalk. First, microbial signals-ranging from structural ligands to extracellular vesicles-can reach the breast and tune innate sensing. Second, gut-derived metabolites-notably short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), secondary bile acids, and tryptophan catabolites-circulate to the gland and act on host receptors to regulate barrier integrity, inflammation, and tumor biology. Third, gut-imprinted immune cells traffic to the lactating breast, exporting protective secretory immunoglobulin A into milk. These routes have tangible clinical implications: selective probiotics reduce mastitis risk and aid abscess recovery; SCFA- and bile-acid-linked pathways protect mammary barriers; and specific commensals or pathobionts can shape breast cancer progression and therapy response. Because milk and mammary tissue are low-biomass niches, rigorous contamination controls are essential for reproducibility. This review synthesizes cross-kingdom signals in the gut-breast axis and outlines translational opportunities-from dietary fiber and targeted postbiotics to bile-acid pathway modulation and antibiotic stewardship-to improve lactation health and inform oncology.
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