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Tea polyphenols (TPs) are the most important active component of tea and have become a research focus among natural products, thanks to their antioxidant, lipid-lowering, liver-protecting, anti-tumor, and other biological activities. Polyphenols can interact with other food components, such as protein, polysaccharides, lipids, and metal ions to further improve the texture, flavor, and sensory quality of food, and are widely used in food fields, such as food preservatives, antibacterial agents and food packaging. However, the instability of TPs under conditions such as light or heat and their low bioavailability in the gastrointestinal environment also hinder their application in food. In this review, we summarized the health benefits of TPs. In order to better use TPs in food, we analyzed the form and mechanism of interaction between TPs and main food components, such as polysaccharides and proteins. Moreover, we reviewed research into optimizing the applications of TPs in food by bio-based delivery systems, such as liposomes, nanoemulsions, and nanoparticles, so as to improve the stability and bioactivity of TPs in food application. As an effective active ingredient, TPs have great potential to be applied in functional food to produce benefits for human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthocyanins have attracted a lot of attention in the fields of natural pigments, food packaging, and functional foods due to their color, antioxidant, and nutraceutical properties. However, the poor chemical stability and low bioavailability of anthocyanins currently limit their application in the food industry. Various methods can be used to modify the structure of anthocyanins and thus improve their stability and bioavailability characteristics under food processing, storage, and gastrointestinal conditions. This paper aims to review in vitro modification methods for altering the molecular structure of anthocyanins, as well as their resulting improved properties such as color, stability, solubility, and antioxidant properties, and functional applications as pigments, sensors and functional foods. In industrial production, by mixing co-pigments with anthocyanins in food systems, the color and stability of anthocyanins can be improved by using non-covalent co-pigmentation. By acylation of fatty acids and aromatic acids with anthocyanins before incorporation into food systems, the surface activity of anthocyanins can be activated and their antioxidant and bioactivity can be improved. Various other chemical modification methods, such as methylation, glycosylation, and the formation of pyranoanthocyanins, can also be utilized to tailor the molecular properties of anthocyanins expanding their range of applications in the food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyphenols have a variety of physiological activities, including antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties. However, their applications are often limited because due to the instability of polyphenols. Encapsulation technologies can be employed to overcome these problems and increase the utilization of polyphenols. In this article, the utilization of protein-based nanoparticles for encapsulating polyphenols is reviewed due to their good biocompatibility, biodegradability, and functional attributes. Initially, the various kinds of animal and plant proteins available for forming protein nanoparticles are discussed, as well as the fabrication methods that can be used to assemble these nanoparticles. The molecular interaction mechanisms between proteins and polyphenols are then summarized. Applications of protein-based nanoparticles for encapsulating polyphenols are then discussed, including as nutrient delivery systems, in food packaging materials, and in the creation of functional foods. Finally, areas where further research is need on the development, characterization, and application of protein-based polyphenol-loaded nanoparticles are highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extrusion is a crucial food processing technique that involves mixing, heating, shearing, molding, and other operations to modify the structures and properties of food components. As the primary energy source material, the extrusion process induces significant physical and chemical changes in starch that impact the quality of final products. This review paper discusses novel technologies for starch extrusion and their influence on the physical and chemical properties of starch-based foods, such as gelatinization and retrogradation properties, structural characteristics, and digestion properties. Additionally, it examines the application of extrusion in starch processing and the interactions between starch and other food components during extrusion. This information sheds light on the structural and property alterations that occur during the extrusion process to create high-quality starch-based foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Starch is a natural, abundant, renewable and biodegradable plant-based polymer that exhibits a variety of functional properties, including the ability to thicken or gel solutions, form films and coatings, and act as encapsulation and delivery vehicles. In this review, we first describe the structure of starch molecules and discuss the mechanisms of their interactions with guest molecules. Then, the effects of starch-guest complexes on gelatinization, retrogradation, rheology and digestion of starch are discussed. Finally, the potential applications of starch-guest complexes in the food industry are highlighted. Starch-guest complexes are formed due to physical forces, especially hydrophobic interactions between non-polar guest molecules and the hydrophobic interiors of amylose helices, as well as hydrogen bonds between some guest molecules and starch. Gelatinization, retrogradation, rheology and digestion of starch-based materials are influenced by complex formation, which has important implications for the utilization of starch as a functional and nutritional ingredient in food products. Controlling these interactions can be used to create novel starch-based food materials with specific functions, such as texture modifiers, delivery systems, edible coatings and films, fat substitutes and blood glucose modulators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]