Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr [JOURNAL]
Sun
200 papers
Turning trash into treasure: bioactive peptides from food waste-a decade of progress in extraction, purification, and applications: a systematic review.
Bilal M, Usman M, Ali M … +7 more , Samee-Ullah, Shaukat F, Arslan M, Li Z, Zou X, Guo Y, Sun X
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr · 2026 Apr · PMID 41965061 · Publisher ↗
Bioactive peptides, short amino acid chains with health benefits, are emerging as key components of sustainable health solutions, especially when derived from food waste. Byproducts like dairy whey, fish residues, bakery...
Bioactive peptides, short amino acid chains with health benefits, are emerging as key components of sustainable health solutions, especially when derived from food waste. Byproducts like dairy whey, fish residues, bakery waste, and plant-based agricultural byproducts are rich sources of these peptides, which have antihypertensive, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and immunomodulatory effects. This review focuses on: (1) extraction, purification, characterization, and applications of bioactive peptides, emphasizing their potential for a circular economy and environmental sustainability; (2) methods like enzymatic hydrolysis, microbial fermentation, and high-pressure processing (HPP) are evaluated for their efficiency, scalability, and sustainability. Purification techniques such as ultrafiltration, ion-exchange chromatography, and gel filtration are examined for isolating high-purity peptides. Characterization methods, including mass spectrometry (MS), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), are discussed for determining peptide properties; (3) global insights on bioactive peptide development from 2014 to 2024, challenges in large-scale production, and promising applications in food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. Finally, the utilization of bioactive peptides from food waste offers a sustainable, economically viable solution for developing functional foods and nutraceuticals, turning trash into treasure and aligning with global health and environmental sustainability goals.
Safflower protein: extraction, nutritional quality, and techno-functional properties.
Escobedo A, Gutierrez-Uribe JA, Luzardo-Ocampo I
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr · 2026 Apr · PMID 41964478 · Publisher ↗
Safflower ( L.) is an oilseed crop suited for semiarid climates, and it is mainly valued for its edible oil extraction and its pigments used in textiles and food. However, the defatted by-product, known as safflower meal...
Safflower ( L.) is an oilseed crop suited for semiarid climates, and it is mainly valued for its edible oil extraction and its pigments used in textiles and food. However, the defatted by-product, known as safflower meal, is underused despite its high protein content. This review aims to summarize and discuss the systematic production workflow for obtaining protein from safflower meal via the alkali extraction method, and to assess its impact on the chemical composition, nutritional quality, and techno-functional properties of safflower protein ingredients. Alkali extraction followed by isoelectric precipitation reduces antinutritional compounds, such as matairesinol monoglucoside and 2-hydroxyarctiin. The resulting safflower protein exhibits higher concentrations of leucine, valine, and methionine than other plant proteins. It has also not been identified as a potential allergen and exhibits promising emulsifying and foaming stabilities. However, the digestibility and nutritional quality of safflower protein have not been adequately characterized using current standardized protocols. Furthermore, although studies have shown that safflower protein can be effectively incorporated into bakery products, more exhaustive sensory evaluations involving a larger panel of judges are needed to ensure product acceptability. Therefore, expanding research on safflower protein could significantly contribute to the development of novel and more nutritious food products.
Oxylipins in food and biological systems: from biosynthesis, distribution, and bioactivity to applications in food quality and safety.
Wang S, Lu W, Ge L … +16 more , Wu H, Wu J, Cheng K, Xiao H, Wang X, Huang F, Wang S, Chen K, Wu Y, Bai J, Yin D, Tang O, Wang Z, Shen G, Xue J, Shen Q
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr · 2026 Apr · PMID 41961549 · Publisher ↗
Oxylipins are pivotal in food science, impacting quality, safety, and health. Beyond their traditional association with lipid oxidation, they are now recognized for their dual roles, offering potential benefits in person...
Oxylipins are pivotal in food science, impacting quality, safety, and health. Beyond their traditional association with lipid oxidation, they are now recognized for their dual roles, offering potential benefits in personalized nutrition and functional foods. In this review, a comprehensive discussion is provided on the biosynthesis and catabolic pathways of oxylipins. The sources and distribution of oxylipins in plant, algal, and animal-derived foods are investigated, and the detection techniques and analytical methods used for analyzing oxylipins in these complex food matrices are examined. The bioactivity and physiological functions of oxylipins are explored, including their antioxidant properties, roles in inflammation modulation and resolution, and regulation of immune functions. Additionally, the dynamic changes of oxylipins during food processing, fermentation and storage are examined, with an emphasis on their applications in monitoring food freshness and spoilage, verifying food authenticity, providing preservation and antimicrobial protection, and ensuring food safety. However, oxylipins research in food systems is facing multiple challenges in detection technology, stability regulation, functional analysis and industrial production. Future advances will rely on integrating AI analytics, synthetic and systems biology, and green manufacturing to balance functional food design with safety and quality in the industry.
Microbial succession and metabolic mechanisms driving flavor evolution in Northeast Chinese dajiang: a comprehensive review integrating insights from East Asian fermented soybean pastes.
Song W, Li M, Yue X … +6 more , Meng Y, Xie Y, Zhang Y, Hu Y, Zheng Y, Yue X
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr · 2026 Apr · PMID 41961522 · Publisher ↗
This review systematically explores the spatiotemporal microbial succession and flavor evolution during the fermentation of northeast Chinese soybean paste (dajiang), with a focus on the jiangpei (solid-state starter) an...
This review systematically explores the spatiotemporal microbial succession and flavor evolution during the fermentation of northeast Chinese soybean paste (dajiang), with a focus on the jiangpei (solid-state starter) and jianglao (brine fermentation) stages. By integrating metagenomic, metabolomic, and sensory data, this review synthesizes evidence linking microbial community dynamics-featuring spp., , and -to the biosynthesis of key flavor compounds. These include umami amino acids (e.g., glutamic acid, 1.5-2.0 g/kg), fruity esters (e.g., ethyl acetate, 124.67 μg/kg), and phenolic antioxidants. Cross-feeding interactions (e.g., yeast utilization of lactic acid for ester synthesis) and environmental stressors (12%-18% NaCl, 25 °C-30 °C) are shown to enhance flavor complexity by modulating metabolic pathways like amino acid degradation and lipid β-oxidation. Unlike prior studies focusing on fragmented fermentation stages, this review systematically addresses the full fermentation continuum, highlighting how aerobic-to-anaerobic transitions drive functional metabolite accumulation. The review concludes by outlining a roadmap to modernize dajiang production through standardized quality control, precision flavor modulation, and traditional process optimization, enabled by culturomics/MAGs, multi-omics integration, and AI-assisted fermentation monitoring and control.
Serum-free media for cultivated meat: from cellular mechanisms to cost-effective bioprocess design.
Liu Y, Sun Y, Song X … +7 more , Zhang R, Qiao T, Wang S, Pan K, Wu H, Zheng H, Xue C
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr · 2026 Apr · PMID 41961519 · Publisher ↗
Serum-free media (SFM) determine whether cultivated meat (CM) can progress from pilot studies to scalable, food-grade manufacturing. Replacing fetal bovine serum (FBS) requires food-grade media that supply nutrients, mai...
Serum-free media (SFM) determine whether cultivated meat (CM) can progress from pilot studies to scalable, food-grade manufacturing. Replacing fetal bovine serum (FBS) requires food-grade media that supply nutrients, maintain ionic balance, provide defined signaling cues, and mitigate shear stress. This review charts the development of SFM for CM and critically discusses how these component modules interact across relevant cell types, highlighting where evidence is robust and where translation across species, cell lines, and production scale remains uncertain. We assess plant-, microbial-, and microalgal-derived protein hydrolysates as pragmatic supplements or partial substitutes, emphasizing compositional characterization, batch consistency, and supply-chain feasibility, and summarize strategies to curb dependence on high-cost growth factors through improved production and cell-intrinsic support. AI- and systems biology-enabled optimization is highlighted to link formulation with bioprocess performance, cost, and sustainability. Finally, we synthesize current safety assessment and regulatory governance for complex media and propose priorities for industrial translation, including hydrolysate quality standards, expansion of food-grade raw-material pipelines, and tighter integration of formulation design with manufacturing and compliance constraints.
Machine learning applications for postharvest poultry processing: a review.
Jia Z, Zhang B, Harper L … +6 more , Morey A, Srikumar S, Garner L, Gonzalez BJ, Rootes TR, Wang D
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr · 2026 Apr · PMID 41955127 · Publisher ↗
Poultry meat plays a vital role in global food security due to its affordability and high-quality protein content. Its production keeps growing worldwide. This highlights the need for poultry processing facilities to ope...
Poultry meat plays a vital role in global food security due to its affordability and high-quality protein content. Its production keeps growing worldwide. This highlights the need for poultry processing facilities to operate efficiently while maintaining high throughput and ensuring products meet regulatory standards and satisfy consumer expectations. Machine learning (ML), as a powerful tool, opens a new path for the poultry industry. It has been implemented across diverse stages of postharvest poultry meat processing. In this review, we summarize and elucidate the applications of ML within poultry meat processing, covering smart processing operations, quality control, safety monitoring, risk assessment, foreign material detection, and adulteration identification. Among them, ML-powered imaging, spectroscopic, sensors, and genomic sequencing techniques in poultry meat processing are also explored. In addition, we also analyzed the challenges and barriers of adopting ML in real-world processing and discussed the potential solutions and future research directions. By identifying the advancements and capabilities of ML, this review highlights the potential of ML in building a more sustainable, smart, resilient, and more digitalized poultry industry and food supply chain.
Impacts of high-pressure technology and pulsed electric field on functional properties of probiotics and probiotic foods.
Oner ME, Kilic G, Yilmaz B … +2 more , Oner MD, Ozogul F
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr · 2026 Apr · PMID 41949293 · Publisher ↗
Probiotics are widely incorporated into functional foods due to their health benefits on gut metabolism, immune modulation, and metabolic regulation. However, maintaining the viability of the probiotics and functional in...
Probiotics are widely incorporated into functional foods due to their health benefits on gut metabolism, immune modulation, and metabolic regulation. However, maintaining the viability of the probiotics and functional integrity during food processing, storage, and gastrointestinal transit is a challenge, especially when the conventional thermal methods are used. In this context, non-thermal processing technologies such as high-pressure processing (HPP), high-pressure homogenization (HPH), and pulsed electric field (PEF) have emerged as alternatives which can improve the food safety as well as preserve or enhance probiotic functionality. This review aims to provide current evidence on the effects of HPP and PEF on probiotics and probiotic foods, with particular emphasis on functional attributes beyond cell survival. The impact of processing parameters on probiotic viability, stress adaptation, adhesion to intestinal epithelial cells, resistance to gastrointestinal conditions, metabolic activity, and immunomodulatory and antimicrobial potential is discussed across diverse food matrices, including dairy, plant-based, cereal-based, and fermented products. Available studies indicate that sublethal HPP and PEF treatments can induce beneficial physiological responses in probiotics, such as enhanced membrane permeability, improved stress tolerance, and stimulated metabolic activity, although outcomes remain highly strain-, matrix-, and process-dependent. Synergistic processing strategies, integration with microencapsulation, and advanced omics-based approaches could help to better understand probiotic responses to non-thermal technologies. Overall, HPP and PEF represent promising tools for the development of next-generation probiotic foods that balance safety, quality, and biological efficacy.
Dietary ginsenosides for longevity: from biosynthesis and bioactive potential to functional food applications.
Fang C, Zhao Y, Yang H … +2 more , Fan D, Deng J
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr · 2026 Apr · PMID 41945483 · Publisher ↗
Ginsenosides, a class of bioactive substances, exhibit multi targets and notable anti-aging properties. However, their application as functional food ingredients is still limited. This review begins by examining the rese...
Ginsenosides, a class of bioactive substances, exhibit multi targets and notable anti-aging properties. However, their application as functional food ingredients is still limited. This review begins by examining the research advancements related to key drivers of aging, including mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress. By integrating data from network pharmacology and molecular docking, it systematically reviews the intervention effects of ginsenosides on aging mechanisms that the regulation of cellular senescence and the maintenance of mitochondrial function and intestinal flora homeostasis. Biosynthesis strategies provide a viable pathway for the industrial production of ginsenosides and the development of functional foods. Furthermore, structural modifications combined with targeted delivery systems, supported by AI, have been strategically employed to enhance bioavailability and unlock their full bioactive potential as functional food ingredients. This work highlights the necessity of dietary ginsenosides in aging management based on the health burden of aging, and proposes an integrated strategy covering biosynthesis, mechanisms, AI-driven delivery applications and safety verification. It provides a comprehensive perspective on ginsenosides as functional food ingredients for evidence-based aging management.
Bean protein-based micro and nano-delivery systems for food bioactives: enhancing stability, absorption, and food matrix compatibility.
Gundogan R, Akkuzu N, Can Karaca A … +1 more , Capanoglu E
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr · 2026 Apr · PMID 41943566 · Publisher ↗
Many health-beneficial bioactive compounds exhibit poor solubility, chemical instability, and limited bioavailability within food matrices. Encapsulation protects bioactive compounds from environmental conditions and fac...
Many health-beneficial bioactive compounds exhibit poor solubility, chemical instability, and limited bioavailability within food matrices. Encapsulation protects bioactive compounds from environmental conditions and facilitates their controlled release and absorption in the human body. Bean proteins have recently gained attention as sustainable carrier materials for the delivery of bioactive compounds through micro- and nanoencapsulation methods. Their amphiphilic structure and ability to form films, gels, and emulsions make them a promising alternative to animal- and soy-based proteins. This review provides current information on bean-derived proteins, their sources, compositions, and structures, and critically examines the role of bean proteins as wall materials for the encapsulation of lipophilic and hydrophilic bioactive substances including polyphenols, carotenoids, vitamins, essential oils, and peptides. Protein modification methods, such as conjugation, ultrasonication, and enzyme-assisted modifications, may improve the encapsulation performance of bean protein-based systems. Furthermore, bean protein-based encapsulation systems have been shown to improve the sensory properties, oxidative stability, and functionality in food applications such as yogurt, bakery products, and meat products. Despite their potential applications, the use of nanocarriers in foods remains constrained by issues related to allergenicity, anti-nutritional factors, and regulatory uncertainties. Bean proteins provide a cost-effective and sustainable carrier matrix, enabling systematic research to create functional and clean-label food formulations.
From bench to crib: translating human milk bioactive peptides into infant health interventions.
Amarasekara Y, Sunna A, German JB
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr · 2026 Apr · PMID 41940798 · Publisher ↗
Human milk (HM)-derived peptides are emerging as potent modulators of infant development, with roles that extend beyond nutrition to include immune regulation, gut maturation, and neurodevelopment. Yet, the scientific ex...
Human milk (HM)-derived peptides are emerging as potent modulators of infant development, with roles that extend beyond nutrition to include immune regulation, gut maturation, and neurodevelopment. Yet, the scientific exploration of these peptides remains largely molecular in scope, disconnected from their ultimate purpose: shaping healthy infant outcomes. This review reframes bioactive milk peptides as evolutionarily adapted, function-focused molecules whose effects should be evaluated within the context of infant physiology. We examine the limitations of current discovery pipelines, highlighting the overreliance on assays, adult-derived models, and supra-physiological dosing, and argue for a translational framework grounded in developmental biology. By integrating peptidomics, infant-specific models, and systems-level validation, we describe a roadmap to identify and prioritize peptides with clinical relevance. This shift in perspective, from molecular activity to developmental impact, establishes the basis for next-generation nutrition strategies and precision therapeutics that mirror the actual biological complexity of early life.
Odor formation in reused potato processing water: potential causes, VOC markers and sensor needs.
Housmans JAJ, Sampers I
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr · 2026 Apr · PMID 41940794 · Publisher ↗
The potato industry has adopted sustainable practices such as water reuse during blanching. However, prolonged water reuse often releases unpleasant smells, the origin of which remains unknown. This odor issue not only a...
The potato industry has adopted sustainable practices such as water reuse during blanching. However, prolonged water reuse often releases unpleasant smells, the origin of which remains unknown. This odor issue not only affects sensory quality but may also influence food safety and sustainability efforts. This narrative literature review investigates the odor formation by focusing on three core aspects: identifying the underlying causes of odor, pinpointing the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) responsible, and evaluating sensor technologies for real-time monitoring. Experimental studies on blanching water composition, along with reviews addressing potato-derived VOCs under conditions comparable to blanching, such as boiling or steaming, and potato-associated microorganisms, were critically and comparatively analyzed. The findings reveal that blanching water is under-researched, despite emerging evidence suggesting microbial survival during reuse. The VOC analysis highlights overlap between compounds derived from thermal processing and those produced by microbial activity, complicating odor source identification. However, this review highlights potential VOC classes and outlines key requirements for targeted sensor development to enable real-time monitoring of blanching water quality and usage. Overall, this review provides a critical foundation for addressing odor-related challenges in the potato industry, with direct implications for enhancing sustainability, food quality, and safety.
Advances in the application of interfacial engineering approaches on the encapsulation, release, and bioaccessibility of carotenoids.
Zhao M, Xu Y, Dai Z … +6 more , Zhang Z, Feng L, Nie M, Liu C, Li D, McClements DJ
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr · 2026 Apr · PMID 41931372 · Publisher ↗
Carotenoids are valuable hydrophobic nutraceuticals with established health benefits, yet their application is constrained by poor aqueous solubility, chemical instability, and low gastrointestinal bioaccessibility. Alth...
Carotenoids are valuable hydrophobic nutraceuticals with established health benefits, yet their application is constrained by poor aqueous solubility, chemical instability, and low gastrointestinal bioaccessibility. Although multiple reviews have summarized colloidal delivery systems for carotenoid encapsulation, they rarely elucidate how interfacial architecture mechanistically governs digestion, micellization, and absorption, thereby limiting rational design. This review critically synthesizes recent progress in interfacial engineering of carotenoid-loaded colloidal systems, integrating evidence across simple, particle-stabilized, composite, and multilayer interfaces. We systematically analyze how interfacial composition, thickness, charge and permeability regulate lipid hydrolysis kinetics, enzyme accessibility, interfacial remodeling, and mixed-micelle formation, and how these processes collectively determine carotenoid release and bioaccessibility. Rather than descriptive comparisons, a conceptual framework is proposed to connect specific interfacial strategies with programmable delivery behaviors, highlighting inherent tradeoffs between physical stability and digestive responsiveness. In addition, limitations of in vitro digestion models, the scarcity of in vivo validation, feasibility in real food matrices, regulatory considerations, and scale-up challenges are critically discussed. Future research priorities are outlined, including advanced dynamic digestion models, structure-bioaccessibility mapping, and translational validation. This review aims to provide mechanistic insight and actionable design guidance for next-generation carotenoid delivery systems.
Exercise-derived exosomes mediate crosstalk between skeletal muscle, adipose tissue, and bone: mechanisms of inter-organ communication and tissue adaptation.
Qin M, Huang Z, Wang Y … +1 more , Ma J
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr · 2026 Mar · PMID 41906448 · Publisher ↗
Inter-organ communication among bone, skeletal muscle, and adipose tissue is essential for maintaining metabolic homeostasis and musculoskeletal integrity. Dysregulation of this crosstalk is closely associated with aging...
Inter-organ communication among bone, skeletal muscle, and adipose tissue is essential for maintaining metabolic homeostasis and musculoskeletal integrity. Dysregulation of this crosstalk is closely associated with aging-related and metabolic diseases, including osteoporosis, sarcopenia, and obesity. With population aging and the rising prevalence of metabolic disorders, elucidating the mechanisms underlying bone-muscle-adipose interactions has become a critical focus in biomedical research. Emerging evidence highlights exercise-derived exosomes as key mediators of intercellular communication. These extracellular vesicles transport specific microRNAs and bioactive molecules that modulate signaling pathways across bone, skeletal muscle, and adipose tissue, thereby coordinating systemic metabolism and tissue remodeling. Exercise has been shown to regulate the biogenesis, release, and molecular cargo of exosomes, enhancing the synergistic function of these tissues and alleviating age-associated metabolic dysfunction and degeneration. Notably, exercise-induced exosomal miRNAs exhibit therapeutic potential by targeting pathways involved in inflammation, mitochondrial function, and anabolic-catabolic balance. This review summarizes current advances in the role of exercise-derived exosomes in bone-muscle-adipose crosstalk during aging and metabolic diseases, discusses their potential as novel therapeutic targets or biomarkers, and outlines key challenges and future research directions. These insights aim to provide a theoretical basis and practical guidance for the development of exercise-based interventions and aging-related disease therapies.
Precisely engineering transglycosidases as robust biocatalysts toward glycoside reformation for innovative food processing.
Tang J, Li A, Tang M … +6 more , Ge F, Hu L, Song X, Liu X, Shi H, Tan Z
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr · 2026 Mar · PMID 41894226 · Publisher ↗
Transglycosidases with multiple activities represent a distinct subgroup within the glycoside hydrolase family. They can not only catalyze hydrolysis reactions using water molecules as substrate acceptors but also mediat...
Transglycosidases with multiple activities represent a distinct subgroup within the glycoside hydrolase family. They can not only catalyze hydrolysis reactions using water molecules as substrate acceptors but also mediate transglycosylation reactions with other carbohydrates toward glycoside reformation. It makes them become crucial enzymes for the artificial synthesis of glycosidic bonds. However, natural transglycosidases exhibit inherent limitations, such as narrow substrate specificity, low transglycosylation efficiency, and poor tolerance, which restrict their applications. Therefore, modifying existing transglycosidases via enzyme engineering approaches (e.g., non-rational, semi-rational, and rational design) to significantly enhance their relevant properties has become a research hotspot in the field of transglycosidases. Nevertheless, traditional methods present practical drawbacks, including long development cycles, heavy workloads, and high dependence on existing information. Notably, the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted enzyme engineering is expected to address these issues. This review summarizes the research progress on traditional ways for transglycosidase tailoring, as well as studies related to AI-assisted technology. It also covers the applications of transglycosidases in innovative food processing, for instances, oligosaccharide production, the alcoholic beverage industry, baking industry, dairy industry, cyclodextrin synthesis, and food additive development. Precisely engineered transglycosidases exert their potential as powerful biocatalysts in the field of innovative food processing.
Incorporating plant proteins into cheese: opportunities and challenges (a review).
Sarker MAH, Pillidge C, Afshari R … +2 more , Chandrapala J, Gill H
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr · 2026 Mar · PMID 41894146 · Publisher ↗
Hybrid cheeses, produced by combining dairy and plant-based proteins, offer a promising solution to improve food sustainability. Although vegan dairy products (e.g., pure plant-based milks, butters, yoghurts and cheese)...
Hybrid cheeses, produced by combining dairy and plant-based proteins, offer a promising solution to improve food sustainability. Although vegan dairy products (e.g., pure plant-based milks, butters, yoghurts and cheese) are available, they often fall short of matching traditional dairy in texture, taste and nutritional completeness, resulting in only a relatively small niche share of the global dairy market. Hybrid dairy products, however, address sustainability while aiming for broader market penetration. This review examines how incorporating plant proteins affects cheese composition, structure, functionality, and flavor attributes. It discusses protein-protein interactions, curd formation mechanisms, texture and rheology properties, color development, and flavor formation. The role of enzymatic treatment with microbial transglutaminase (mTGase), in combination with chymosin, is highlighted for its potential to enhance protein cross-linking and cheese stability. Fermentation and microbial cultures are also explored as strategies to mitigate off-flavors and reduce anti-nutritional factors in plant ingredients. Evidence indicates that hybrid cheese is a viable and innovative option for producing nutritious, sustainable, and appealing dairy alternatives with reduced environmental impact. Future research should focus on optimizing ingredient selection, improving protein interactions, enhancing functional and nutritional properties, and scaling up production for industrial use.
Underwater electrical shockwave: an emerging pretreatment for efficient extraction of plant bioactives.
Xi J, Zhang C
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr · 2026 Mar · PMID 41879070 · Publisher ↗
Underwater Electrical Shockwave (UES) is an innovative non-thermal pretreatment technology designed to enhance the extraction of plant bioactives. It offers distinct advantages over conventional methods-including superio...
Underwater Electrical Shockwave (UES) is an innovative non-thermal pretreatment technology designed to enhance the extraction of plant bioactives. It offers distinct advantages over conventional methods-including superior retention of bioactivity, rapid processing times, and broad applicability to diverse materials. While promising, previous literature has lacked a comprehensive evaluation of its mechanisms, applications, and economic feasibility, particularly regarding industrial scale-up. This review comprehensively addresses these gaps by examining UES device design, enhancement mechanisms, critical operational parameters, and diverse applications, complemented by economic and comparative assessments with established pretreatment technologies. Quantitative evidence demonstrates that UES can improve extraction yields by up to 40% and reduce energy consumption by approximately 30-50% under optimized conditions (Yasuda et al. 2017). The findings highlight the significant practical implications of UES for industrial-scale applications in the food industry, presenting it as a sustainable and efficient alternative for bioactive ingredient extraction. However, significant challenges remain in scaling up this technology from laboratory proof-of-concept to robust industrial implementation. To this end, this review dedicates a section to critically analyze the challenges of industrial scaling, including engineering hurdles, economic viability, and regulatory considerations. Current challenges and future research directions are also outlined to support its broader implementation.
Proceedings from Nourish Now: A science dialogue on improving adolescent health through nutrition.
Ferruzzi MG, Bailey RL, Davis TA … +17 more , Leidy HJ, Baum JI, Castle J, De Leon A, Diaz EC, Fulgoni VL, Gunther C, Kaplan L, Kopstick B, Masterson TD, Militano S, Moore LL, Oden JD, Larson-Prior LJ, Thomsen MR, Wright ID, Børsheim E
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr · 2026 Mar · PMID 41878864 · Publisher ↗
It is well-established that nutrient adequacy in childhood and adolescence impacts physical growth, development, and academic performance, as well as long-term health. Yet, research within the school-age child and adoles...
It is well-established that nutrient adequacy in childhood and adolescence impacts physical growth, development, and academic performance, as well as long-term health. Yet, research within the school-age child and adolescent life stage is limited, and dietary guidance lacks specificity for these unique needs. The 2020-2025 noted that the nutrient gaps among adolescents are significant, stating that this "constellation of potential nutritional risk factors" is a public health challenge. To illuminate and raise awareness for opportunities aimed at addressing these gaps, the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, on behalf of the Beef Checkoff, partnered with the Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center (ACNC), one of six USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) national human nutrition research centers, to convene 50 leading nutrition scientists, physicians, registered dietitians, and public health experts for a science dialogue on the topic of improving adolescent health through nutrition. The Proceedings highlights this convening of experts who presented at on May 2, 2024.
Amyloid-like aggregation of soy proteins: critical review on impacts in food nutrition, function, and sustainability.
Poonia V, Yadav JK, Gavahian M
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr · 2026 Mar · PMID 41863764 · Publisher ↗
Soy proteins are widely used in plant-based foods but can form amyloid-like aggregates with cross-β structures during processing. While these aggregates may enhance functional properties such as gelation and emulsificati...
Soy proteins are widely used in plant-based foods but can form amyloid-like aggregates with cross-β structures during processing. While these aggregates may enhance functional properties such as gelation and emulsification, they could reduce protein digestibility and quality scores (e.g., DIAAS, PDCAAS), raising nutritional and health concerns. This review aims to critically evaluate the mechanisms driving aggregate formation, their nutritional and physiological implications, strategies to mitigate adverse effects, and roles in achieving sustainability. Intrinsic (e.g., protein type, conformation) and extrinsic (e.g., temperature, pH, ionic strength) factors influencing aggregation of major soy proteins, including glycinin and β-conglycinin, were examined with a focus on major soy products, including soy milk, tofu, tempeh, miso, natto, edamame, soy sauce, and soy flour. Analyzing emerging evidence suggests that the protein aggregates resist proteolysis and resemble amyloids associated with human proteinopathies; however, their physiological and nutritional implications remain underexplored. This work further assessed how processing conditions modulate aggregate formation and potential effects on gut health and systemic responses. The capability of mitigation strategies, including mild thermal processing, pH adjustment, salt control, and enzymatic treatment, to maintain protein quality while preserving functional attributes was also evaluated to elaborate on roles in food nutrition improvement. Through integrating structural, nutritional, and sustainability perspectives, this review identifies research gaps and proposes food processing strategies aligned with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2, 3, and 12.
Fluorescent probes for cysteine recognition in complex food systems: response pathways, design strategies, and analytical challenges.
He J, Qiu R, Tang W … +1 more , Liu J
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr · 2026 Mar · PMID 41863543 · Publisher ↗
Cysteine (Cys), a semi-essential amino acid with critical functions in food system, requires precise detection due to its dual role in food quality control and health risk assessment. Fluorescent probes have emerged as e...
Cysteine (Cys), a semi-essential amino acid with critical functions in food system, requires precise detection due to its dual role in food quality control and health risk assessment. Fluorescent probes have emerged as effective tools for Cys sensing, providing distinct advantages in sensitivity, selectivity and biocompatibility over conventional analytical techniques. This review comprehensively summarizes the development of fluorescent probes that have been successfully utilized for detecting exogenous or endogenous Cys in food matrices. To date, nearly forty small-molecule probes have been developed for application in the food sector, and these probes are classified into seven categories based on their structures and mechanisms of action. Furthermore, a growing number of nanoprobes, employing carbon dots, quantum dots, and metal nanoclusters, have increasingly been explored for Cys detection in the food sector, capitalizing on the unique photophysical properties of nanomaterials. These documented probes vary considerably in response times, excitation/emission profiles, linear detection ranges, detection limits, and optimal experimental conditions, thus providing adaptable tools for Cys determination across diverse food samples. This review exclusively focuses on probes applied to Cys analysis in complex food matrices, identifies existing analytical bottlenecks and provides novel insights into designing advanced Cys probes for specific screening in food industry.
The relationship between dietary patterns and neuroinflammation.
Medoro A, Scapagnini G, Hu FB … +1 more , Davinelli S
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr · 2026 Mar · PMID 41854289 · Publisher ↗
Dietary patterns are now recognized as key modulators of immunometabolic balance, exerting significant effects on the central nervous system (CNS) by regulating immune responses and inflammatory stress. The quality, comp...
Dietary patterns are now recognized as key modulators of immunometabolic balance, exerting significant effects on the central nervous system (CNS) by regulating immune responses and inflammatory stress. The quality, composition, and timing of nutrient intake shape immune responses, influence glial activity, and alter the vulnerability of the CNS to inflammatory processes. Persistent neuroinflammation, driven by microglial activation, chronic release of pro-inflammatory mediators, and recruitment of peripheral immune cells, is increasingly recognized as a common mechanism underlying a wide range of neurological and psychiatric disorders, from Alzheimer's disease to major depression, reducing the patients' quality of life. The transition from evolutionarily adapted diets, rich in fiber, micronutrients, and unprocessed foods, to Western dietary patterns characterized by excess saturated fats, refined sugars, and ultra-processed products has significantly disrupted systemic and neuroimmune homeostasis. These nutritional changes contribute to a pro-inflammatory brain environment both directly, through the immunomodulatory effects of dietary components and metabolites, and indirectly, through increased intestinal permeability, dysbiosis, and activation of peripheral inflammatory cascades. Conversely, nutritional strategies such as plant-based, low-fat, low-carbohydrate, Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND), and time-restricted diets appear to counteract these detrimental effects. Preclinical and early clinical evidence suggests that these approaches reduce microgliosis, inhibit inflammasome signaling, lower systemic inflammation, and reshape the gut microbiota to promote anti-inflammatory metabolites and better gut-brain communication. Although large-scale clinical validation is still needed, shifting dietary patterns from pro-inflammatory to neuroprotective profiles offers a feasible and promising approach to reduce neuroinflammation and support brain health.
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