搜索结果：Comprehensive reviews in food science and food safety

Plant-based antioxidants are widely incorporated into foods to retard oxidative deterioration and to deliver health-related benefits. Yet, their in-product and in vivo performance frequently diverges from predictions based on solution-phase chemical assays, because matrix interactions, processing history, and host metabolism reshape both stability and bioactivity. This review integrates molecular mechanisms, structure-activity relationships (SARs), and degradation kinetics with food-matrix and human-relevance considerations to explain when, where, and how plant-based antioxidants act. Evidence is collated across polyphenols, carotenoids, tocopherols and tocotrienols, and selected alkaloids, linking hydrogen-atom, single-electron, and proton-coupled transfer pathways. Together, with those evidences, transition-metal chelation, interactions with proteins and polysaccharides, interfacial partitioning in emulsions, and metal-catalyzed oxidation are discussed. The influence of conventional and emerging processing, storage, and delivery systems (Pickering and double emulsions, spray drying/chilling, complex coacervation, ionic gelation) on antioxidant stability, localization, and bioaccessibility is also examined. Across systems, efficacy is governed less by intrinsic reactivity or nominal polarity than by effective interfacial concentration, partitioning behavior, and metal management. Encapsulation, when matched to matrix and process, improves antioxidant retention. Combinations of antioxidants may act cooperatively under one set of conditions and become antagonistic, or even pro-oxidant, under high oxygen availability or at suboptimal molar ratios. In this review, solution-phase rankings (DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, ORAC) are interpreted as descriptors of intrinsic reactivity. They cannot, on their own, predict performance in real food matrices or the post-digestion metabolite pool reaching systemic circulation. Effective use of plant antioxidants in foods therefore requires that formulation choices be informed by interfacial kinetics, food-component interactions during digestion, gut-microbiota metabotypes, and biomarker-validated estimates of dietary intake.

Due to widespread environmental presence and growing detection in food systems, microplastics (MPs), which are plastic particles smaller than 5&#xa0;mm, along with nanoplastics with size <1&#xa0;&#xb5;m, collectively referred to as micro and nanoplastics (MNPs), have become a growing global concern. Previous exposure studies undermined the true burden of plastic contamination, owing to the limited analytical detection range that resulted in the omission of nanoscale fractions and a potential underestimation of related toxicological risks. Recent studies have reported that approximately 90% of plastic particles detected in bottled water are MNPs. Food packaging materials are a crucial but frequently disregarded source of MP contamination among the various exposure pathways. During handling, processing, and storage, packaging plastics can release MPs into food, which has a direct impact on consumer health and food safety. Measurable concentrations of MPs with variable contamination profiles have been found in packaged beverages, dairy products, meat, snacks, and ready-to-eat foods, as per recent case studies. Despite ongoing methodological issues with size resolution, polymer discrimination, and sample standardization, various analytical techniques have been used for detection and characterization of MPs. The necessity of reducing MPs' presence in food systems is highlighted by their toxicological effects, which include possible bioaccumulation, oxidative stress, endocrine disruption, and microbiota imbalance. Reducing exposure risks requires the implementation of preventive measures like better manufacturing techniques, sustainable packaging substitutes, and regulatory actions. The sources, migration, analytical techniques, health effects, and preventative measures of MPs in food packaging are summarized in this review. It also highlights research gaps and obstacles in developing sustainable and safe food packaging.

The demand for sustainable, functional food packaging from agricultural coproducts such as hulls, meals, fibers, gums, and press residues from pulse and oilseed industries is increasing. These secondary streams from crops such as soybean, canola, hemp, sunflower, lentils, peas, beans, and chickpeas are rich in proteins, polysaccharides, lignin, and bioactive compounds, making them promising sources for biopolymers and functional additives. The objective of this review is to discuss the potential of pulse and oilseed coproducts for biodegradable and active packaging, highlight the impact of extraction, modification, and fabrication techniques, examine packaging functionality reported in the literature, and identify research gaps. The literature indicates a need for systematic studies correlating coproduct composition with functional performance and sustainable modification strategies. Protein, polysaccharides, and cellulose fibers can be tailored to produce films, coatings, and molded packaging structures with desirable mechanical, thermal, and barrier properties. Additives from coproducts, including natural plasticizers, nanocellulose reinforcements, antioxidants, emulsifiers, and antimicrobials, enhance packaging performance and enable the development of active, edible, and smart packaging systems. Fabrication methods, such as solvent casting, extrusion, injection molding, compression molding, blow molding, electrospinning, and 3D printing, enable the customization of packaging properties and structures based on the final application. Despite these advancements, challenges remain in industrial adoption, inconsistency in results between published literature, compatibility issues between additives and polymer matrices, high purification costs, and scalability constraints. Effective utilization of agricultural coproducts supports circular bioeconomy principles, reduces reliance on petroleum-based plastics, and paves the way for next-generation, eco-friendly food packaging solutions.

Edible insects are increasingly recognized for their high nutritional value and favorable environmental profile, yet their acceptance (defined as the continuum from willingness to try and purchase to repeated consumption) in Western and globalized food systems remains limited by cultural, sensory, regulatory, and economic barriers. This narrative review critically synthesizes recent advances in understanding the multidimensional determinants of consumer acceptance of insect-based foods and evaluates the technological, cultural, and policy-driven strategies proposed to overcome them, drawing on interdisciplinary evidence from food science, consumer behavior, and sustainability research. Evidence indicates that processing approaches such as protein hydrolysis, extrusion, fermentation, and encapsulation can significantly improve sensory quality, functionality, and product integration into familiar food matrices. In parallel, targeted marketing, consumer education, and transparent regulatory frameworks emerge as essential to building trust and reducing neophobia. This narrative synthesis provides a comprehensive conceptual framework for advancing the mainstream adoption of insect-based foods. The analysis highlights research gaps related to sensory optimization, traceability, sustainability assessment, and cross-cultural consumer studies, offering evidence-based directions to support the development of safe, acceptable, and nutritionally valuable insect-derived products within contemporary food systems.

The combination of osmotic dehydration (OD) and microwave radiation (MW), referred to as microwave-assisted osmotic dehydration (MWOD), has emerged as a promising hybrid strategy for optimizing food processing by enhancing mass transfer and preserving bioactive compounds. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of the synergistic effects of MWOD, focusing on the interaction mechanisms between MW heating and mass transfer, key operational parameters, and their impacts on the quality of dehydrated foods. A systematic literature review was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, using the Scopus and Web of Science databases. Studies were selected through predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria based on document type, relevance to food processing, and experimental application of MWOD. Data related to raw materials, process conditions, mass transfer behavior, quality attributes, and energy aspects were extracted and qualitatively synthesized. From 178 records initially identified, 25 experimental studies specifically addressing MWOD were included in the final analysis. Overall, most of the analyzed experimental studies reported that MWOD enhances water removal rates, reduces solid gain, and improves the retention of color, texture, and antioxidant compounds when compared to conventional OD under the evaluated processing conditions. In addition, several studies indicated a reduction in energy consumption, particularly at laboratory scale. Despite these advances, literature still lacks studies integrating diffusional modeling with physicochemical and sensory analyses, as well as investigations at pilot and industrial scales. These findings highlight the strong potential of MWOD as a sustainable and efficient technology high-quality dehydrated foods.

Effective dry cleaning and post-cleaning treatments are essential for maintaining food safety in dry-food processing environments where water use must be minimized. This scoping review mapped and synthesized empirical research on minimal-water cleaning methods applied to industrial surfaces, focusing on their efficacy against microbial and allergenic residues. Searches across six databases identified 91 relevant studies published from 2014 to 2024. Eight principal approaches were evaluated: mechanical cleaning (wiping, brushing, vacuuming), purging, dry-ice blasting, dry steam, ozone, ultraviolet-C, pulsed light, and cold atmospheric plasma. Cold atmospheric plasma and dry steam consistently produced the highest microbial reductions, often exceeding 5-7&#xa0;log&#xa0;CFU under optimized conditions, while mechanical steps effectively removed bulk soil but frequently left microscopic contamination. UV-C and pulsed light showed strong potential as nonthermal post-cleaning treatments, though shadowing, surface roughness, and organic matter reduced effectiveness. Evidence on fungal and viral inactivation, as well as allergen removal, remains limited but suggests promising activity for UV-C, cold atmospheric plasma, and dry steam. Surface type, cleanliness, and environmental conditions strongly influenced performance, underscoring the need for standardized protocols. Key research needs include harmonized test frameworks, evaluations under realistic plant conditions, combined mechanical and post-cleaning strategies, energy and safety assessments, and systematic allergen investigations. These findings support the development of reliable and scalable dry cleaning programs for food safety management in dry-food facilities.

Seafood provides high-quality protein and essential nutrients but is highly susceptible to rapid postharvest deterioration. Conventional quality evaluation methods are often destructive, labor-intensive, and difficult to implement in real-time industrial and consumer settings. In recent years, deep learning-assisted computer vision (DL-CV) has emerged as a promising technical route for nondestructive and rapid seafood quality assessment in industrial processing lines and retail inspection systems. This review synthesizes recent advances in DL-CV for seafood quality evaluation from both technical and application-oriented perspectives. The technical framework is first clarified by comparing visible-light imaging with other imaging modalities and by discussing the transition from traditional machine learning to end-to-end deep learning-based feature extraction. Recent developments in representative deep learning architectures, such as convolutional neural networks and vision transformers, are then summarized alongside emerging trends toward lightweight design, architectural enhancement, and interpretability. Current application scenarios are further reviewed systematically, with particular emphasis on freshness evaluation, including key image regions and two dominant labeling strategies: storage time-based labeling (STBL) and traditional indicator-based labeling (TIBL). Additional applications such as species identification, weight estimation, defect detection, and quantitative determination of compositional attributes are also discussed. Overall, DL-CV demonstrates strong potential for accurate, nondestructive seafood quality prediction, especially when leveraging visible-light imaging systems that are easily deployable in practical environments. Future research should focus on finer quality differentiation, multidimensional and integrated quality evaluation, and scalable deployment in both industrial processing and consumer-oriented applications.

Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) and light-based technologies, including ultraviolet (UV), pulsed light, and visible light, are increasingly investigated as nonthermal interventions for food safety due to their broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity and minimal impact on product quality. However, when applied individually, both approaches are constrained by limited penetration depth, matrix-dependent efficacy, and reduced effectiveness against resistant microbial structures such as biofilms and spores. Accumulating evidence indicates that integrating CAP with light-based treatments can produce synergistic effects that exceed additive outcomes, resulting in enhanced microbial inactivation and accelerated degradation of recalcitrant chemical contaminants at reduced treatment intensities. This review critically synthesizes current literature on CAP-light integration, with a focus on the mechanistic basis of synergy, including CAP-induced barrier weakening, suppression of cellular repair and antioxidant systems, and photolytic amplification of CAP-generated reactive species. The efficacy of combined treatments across diverse microorganisms, food matrices, and processing environments is evaluated, alongside implications for food safety. However, quality assessments and long-term stability studies following combined CAP-light treatments remain scarce and warrant systematic investigation. Overall, CAP-light integration represents a promising multihurdle strategy for next-generation nonthermal food safety applications, though industrial adoption will require addressing scalability challenges, regulatory approval pathways, and cost-effectiveness relative to conventional sanitation technologies.

Recent trends in food packaging research emphasize the development of sustainable alternatives to conventional petroleum-based materials driven by increasing environmental concerns and regulatory pressures. In particular, curdlan, a microbial biopolymer, has garnered significant attention for its potential applications in food packaging due to its biodegradability, film-forming ability, and functional versatility. However, ensuring its industrial viability requires enhancing the inherent functional properties of pure curdlan through various targeted modification strategies. Within this context, the present review aims to critically summarize and evaluate recent advances in curdlan-based systems for food packaging applications. This review offers a comprehensive overview of curdlan's microbial origin, chemical structure, and modification techniques, as well as its emerging role in sustainable food packaging. It further addresses recent progress in improving curdlan's functionality and physicochemical characteristics, especially in the context of active packaging systems. Through chemical modification, bioactive incorporation, nanotechnology, and advanced film casting, curdlan-based biopolymers have been significantly improved, positioning them as promising alternatives to synthetic packaging materials. The scope of this review also includes a discussion of current challenges and future perspectives related to the practical implementation of curdlan-based packaging systems. Recent studies extend curdlan's applications beyond packaging to hydrogels and drug delivery and emphasize its versatility, reinforcing key insights into food packaging and coatings.

Sulfur dioxide (SO2) remains an indispensable food preservative, yet balancing preservation efficacy with residue safety continues to challenge both industry and regulators. The difficulty arises from the diverse chemical forms, dynamic release, and uneven distribution of SO2 in food matrices and package headspace, which hinder real-time monitoring and precise control. While progress has been made in preservation techniques, detection methods, and smart sensors, an integrated framework that unifies these threads to elucidate SO2 dynamics in complex food systems is still absent. This review provides an integrated perspective that draws together knowledge of SO2 chemical speciation, mechanism of action, safety thresholds, and controlled-release behavior. We trace the evolution of SO2 detection from traditional analytical methods and modern instrumental techniques to emerging smart detection platforms, with emphasis on active and intelligent packaging systems and on cold-chain monitoring challenges. Advances in smart detection technologies enable more precise monitoring of different SO2 forms in complex food systems and package atmospheres, improving the balance between quality preservation and safety control. Future research will prioritize real-time tracking of dynamic SO2 changes and localized residual levels throughout cold chains, alongside the integration of multimodal rapid sensing into smart packaging for synergistic food quality preservation and risk mitigation.

Power ultrasound, as an emerging technology, was applied to improve the efficiency, shorten process time, alleviate the quality loss, reduce the resource consumption (i.e., energy and solvent), and promote the green recovery in many food processes. These improvements are closely related with physical enhancement of heat and mass transfer by ultrasound. This work focused on the ultrasonic intensification of heat and mass transfer in various food processes, particularly solvent extraction of food components, purification of food components by adsorption/desorption, and food drying. Computer-aided modeling enables the visualization of heat and mass transfer behavior as well as the study of cavitation characteristics during ultrasound-assisted processing, using mathematic models. The efficiencies of food extraction, adsorption/desorption, and drying were all improved using power ultrasound due to the enhancement of heat and mass transfer based on mechanical and cavitation effects. Together with experimental methods, physical models consist of partial differential equations based on Newton's, Fick's, and Fourier's law that have been developed to explore the mechanism about heat and mass transfer intensification. Generally, ultrasound can improve the key parameters relating to heat and mass transfer for enhancing process efficiency and reducing process time. In addition, the cavitation characterizations, including bubble lifespan, bubble size, and bubble numbers during ultrasound-assisted food processing, can also be studied by some physicochemical models. Overall, the application of numerical simulations showed great promise for advancing the understanding of ultrasound-enhanced food processes, guiding process optimization, and overcoming challenges in scaling up from lab-scale experiments to full-scale industrial applications.

Traditional Chinese foods are often characterized by high lipid contents, which create a persistent tension between preserving sensory authenticity and advancing public health goals. Direct oil-reduction strategies frequently compromise product quality because lipids serve multiple indispensable functions beyond caloric contribution, acting as heat-transfer media, structural modulators, and carriers of fat-soluble flavor compounds. This review highlights recent advances in multimodal artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted oil reduction for traditional Chinese foods within an evidence-bounded "Perception-Decision-Execution" framework. It synthesizes progress across three tightly connected domains: AI-assisted screening and design of lipid replacers at the molecular and mesoscale levels; AI-assisted regulation of oil-related processing in frying, stewing, and seasoning systems; and sensory reconstruction through multimodal instrumental signals correlated with human perception. Available evidence suggests that multimodal AI may support a gradual shift from conventional trial-and-error oil-reduction practices toward more data-informed optimization by integrating real-time sensing, predictive modeling, and adaptive process adjustment across formulation, processing, and sensory delivery. These approaches show potential for assisting the rational design of fat replacers, dynamic regulation of oil uptake, stabilization of reduced-fat emulsified systems, and targeted compensation for losses in aroma, texture, and mouthfeel, although their effectiveness remains highly dependent on food-matrix-specific validation. Despite this promise, broader translation into industrial practice remains constrained by heterogeneous datasets, limited model interpretability, the lack of standardized evaluation frameworks, and persistent scale-up challenges. Overall, AI-assisted oil reduction may provide a useful strategy for the health-oriented modernization of traditional Chinese foods by supporting the functional analysis, partial decoupling, and targeted reconstruction of lipid roles while preserving their cultural identity and distinctive sensory characteristics.

Gluten-free regulations require analytical systems that can reliably measure gluten in wheat, rye, and barley, and, in some jurisdictions, in oats across diverse food ingredients and processed foods. Examples include baked goods, fermented products such as beer, and extruded snack foods, where processing can alter gluten extractability and antibody recognition. This review examines the scientific, analytical, and regulatory factors that determine whether gluten quantification can support robust enforcement of the 20&#xa0;mg&#xa0;gluten/kg threshold used in most jurisdictions, with a focus on method performance criteria (MPCs). The molecular complexity of gluten and the structural changes induced by baking, fermentation, and other processing steps influence extractability and epitope availability. These effects contribute to variable results across enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays that use different antibodies, extraction chemistries, and calibration standards. The widespread use of PWG gliadin (gliadin reference material) as a calibrant supports harmonized calibration for wheat-based analyses. Still, it can introduce bias because it does not reflect the gluten composition in processed or mixed-cereal foods. Improved incurred reference materials offer advantages but are not yet widely accessible. Proficiency testing data from DLA and FAPAS show that interlaboratory agreement is strongest for unprocessed matrices and decreases in baked, fat-rich, or fermented foods. These findings highlight the need for harmonized validation and for statistical criteria that define acceptable assay performance around the regulatory threshold. Advanced techniques such as liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry provide detailed peptide-level information and can support confirmation in matrices where immunoassays lose sensitivity. A coordinated, performance-based framework aligned with Codex guidance would enable analytical methods to be evaluated against common criteria for recovery, precision, and detection capability. Codex alignment also introduces method dependency, as the current Type I Codex approach for gluten relies on the R5 M&#xe9;ndez ELISA as the defining method. Because Type I methods are empirical defining methods, results are comparable to the definition established by that method rather than necessarily being traceable to an independent reference value for gluten. The use of a single Type I method can therefore limit comparability when laboratories use assays based on other antibodies or extraction and calibration systems, particularly in processed matrices. Integrating such MPCs into regulatory practice, proficiency testing, and private certification systems would improve the comparability of gluten testing results and improve the reliability of gluten-free labeling in international markets.

Black tea (Camellia sinensis) is a globally consumed beverage, in which the nonvolatile chemical matrix determines quality by shaping liquor color, taste, and mouthfeel. Withering regulates dehydration kinetics and biochemical conditioning, thereby priming leaves for downstream pigment and flavor development. Following PRISMA guidelines, this systematic review and meta-analysis quantified how withering, as an independent experimental variable, modifies major nonvolatile constituents in black tea. Eligible experimental studies published between 2000 and 2025 were recorded, and the effect sizes were computed as the natural log response ratio (lnRR) and pooled using random-effects (REML) models. Heterogeneity was quantified using Q, &#x3c4;2, and I2. Nineteen studies met the inclusion criteria, mostly published within the last 5&#xa0;years and concentrated in China. Across studies, withering altered catechins, amino acids (including theanine), tea pigments, alkaloids, and organic acids, with substantial between-study variability indicating strong context dependence. Conventional natural indoor withering tended toward net catechin depletion, broadly consistent with progressive oxidation and priming for pigment formation. Conversely, withering interventions, such as warm air, dynamic handling, light irradiation, and pulsed electric field, tended to show the largest deviations, though small study counts (k&#xa0;=&#xa0;1-3) and extreme heterogeneity render these preliminary trends rather than reproducible method effects. These findings suggest withering may shape black tea chemistry rather than serving as a fixed dehydration step, although cultivar, endpoint moisture, dehydration kinetics, and sampling stage often influence outcomes as strongly as the nominal method. Interpretation remains limited by extreme heterogeneity and inconsistent reporting of intensity-defining variables; the review therefore proposes a standardized reporting checklist as a primary translational output for future syntheses.

Broccoli is a nutrient-dense vegetable rich in phytochemicals. However, it is highly perishable due to its high respiration rate and ethylene sensitivity, leading to rapid yellowing and nutrient loss. Maintaining both visual appearance and nutritional integrity remains a major challenge in the postharvest supply chain. This review comprehensively summarizes the physiological, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms involved in postharvest senescence of broccoli, focusing on chlorophyll catabolism, oxidative stress, and glucosinolate metabolism. It critically evaluates recent progress in preservation technologies, emphasizing their underlying regulatory mechanisms and impacts on quality attributes. Visual and nutritional decline in broccoli are mechanistically interconnected rather than parallel processes. Senescence drivers, including ethylene and phytohormone crosstalk, as well as reactive oxygen species (ROS), promote chlorophyll degradation by regulating chlorophyll catabolic enzymes (CCEs) and chlorophyll-degradation peroxidase (Chl-POX) and impairing chloroplast integrity via lipid peroxidation. They also disrupt cellular integrity, allowing glucosinolates to contact degrading enzymes and accelerate their degradation. Meanwhile, hormone crosstalk regulates glucosinolate metabolic genes, resulting in decreased glucosinolate content. Based on these insights, postharvest strategies can delay senescence and preserve quality by targeting these drivers, such as by inhibiting ethylene action, enhancing antioxidant systems, and regulating hormone crosstalk. Overall, this review highlights promising technologies to maintain the green color and nutritional value of broccoli, ensuring high-quality and residue-free produce.

Consumption of microgreens, sprouts, and baby leaves is rapidly increasing, driven by consumer demand for nutrient-dense, minimally processed, and functional foods. Germination has emerged as a powerful biological strategy to enhance the nutritional quality and bioactivity of cereals and pseudocereals. The transition from dormancy to sprouting activates endogenous metabolic pathways that promote the accumulation of vitamins and diverse phytochemicals while reducing antinutritional compounds such as phytic acid. These changes are particularly relevant in the context of growing demand for gluten-free and clean-label food systems. This review evaluates recent advances in cereal and pseudocereal germination, with a focus on changes in whole-grain phytochemical composition and their implications for health-related outcomes. We discuss both shared phytochemicals, including &#x3b3;-aminobutyric acid, phenolics, flavonoids, carotenoids, tocopherols, phytosterols, and policosanols, as well as grain-specific metabolites such as alkylresorcinols, avenanthramides, avenacosides, benzoxazinoids, hordatines, 3-deoxyanthocyanins, and &#x3b3;-oryzanols. Emerging nonthermal pretreatments before germination and post-germination interventions may modify phytochemical profiles and could influence bioaccessibility or biological activity; however, their health benefits require further validation. Evidence from preclinical and limited human studies indicates that germination enhances grain bioactivity and may support glycemic regulation, lipid metabolism, inflammatory responses, and gut microbiome function. Collectively, these findings position germinated grains as promising ingredients for next-generation functional foods, while underscoring the need for standardized, mechanistic, and translational research to fully realize their potential.

Diet-microbe-host interactions are increasingly recognized as properties of complex food matrices rather than the sum of isolated compounds. Lentinula edodes (shiitake) provides a chemically diverse system containing &#x3b2;-(1&#x2192;3),(1&#x2192;6)-glucans, heteropolysaccharides, phenolics, terpenoids, eritadenine, ergothioneine, and bioactive peptides. Evidence suggests that biological effects attributed to shiitake are better interpreted within the whole matrix rather than through reductionist, single-compound approaches. Key structural features-including &#x3b2;-glucan branching, molecular-weight distribution, conformational stability, and polysaccharide-phenolic interactions- shape microbial accessibility and downstream host responses. Here, macromolecular organization refers to the architecture and co-occurrence of these components across digestion and microbial transformation. Across experimental systems, shiitake polysaccharides are linked to shifts in gut microbial composition, including enrichment of butyrate-producing and mucin-associated taxa such as Faecalibacterium, Roseburia, Akkermansia, and Bifidobacterium. These changes are often accompanied by altered short-chain fatty acid profiles and related signaling pathways. In parallel, low-molecular-weight compounds, particularly eritadenine and ergothioneine, are associated with lipid metabolism and redox-related processes in preclinical and limited human studies. However, interpretation is constrained by variability in structural characterization, study design, and limited availability of structure-resolved human data. This review integrates evidence across biosynthesis, processing, microbial fermentation, and host responses, emphasizing context-dependent associations rather than causal claims. By positioning shiitake as a model system, it highlights the value of structure-guided frameworks and outlines directions to improve reproducibility and translational relevance in functional food science. These insights extend beyond shiitake and provide a framework for interpreting structure-function relationships in complex food systems.

During food storage and transportation, products are prone to microbial contamination and oxidative deterioration, which seriously affects their safety and shelf life. Therefore, it is necessary to develop adjustable intelligent active food packaging to address the above issues. Metal complexes exhibit advantages such as designable structures and diversified mechanisms of action, which can achieve efficient, long-lasting, and intelligently controllable antibacterial and antioxidant functions. In this review, we systematically summarize the research progress of coordination-type antibacterial/antioxidant metal complexes represented by silver, copper, zinc, and iron and focus on analyzing the effects of different coordination structures, ligand types, and carrier forms on their biological activity and stability. Among these metal complexes, silver complexes exhibit strong antibacterial activity; copper complexes offer a favorable balance between activity and cost; zinc complexes demonstrate outstanding biocompatibility; and iron complexes show excellent antioxidant activity. At the same time, the antibacterial/antioxidant mechanisms of metal complexes are elaborately described, and the relationship between their physical-chemical structure and properties is deeply discussed. Furthermore, the applications of metal coordination-type active materials in the preservation and packaging of fruits and vegetables, meat products, and other foods are discussed. Nevertheless, despite the considerable application potential of these materials, several critical challenges persist in their practical implementation, such as the potential toxicity of metal ions, migration behavior, scalability of production, and associated costs. Finally, in response to these challenges, future research directions for metal coordination-type materials in the field of food preservation and packaging are proposed.

The global prevalence of iron (Fe) deficiency anemia (IDA) continues to pose major public health challenges, necessitating the development of effective fortification strategies. Dairy-based systems are promising vehicles for Fe fortification and delivery due to their widespread consumption and nutritional value, although their complex matrix presents significant challenges for maintaining Fe bioavailability and product quality. This review critically evaluates current knowledge on Fe fortification in dairy systems, integrating evidence on Fe forms, physicochemical interactions between Fe and the matrix, and their consequent effects on Fe bioavailability and physical functionality. Emerging fortification strategies are highlighted. Conventional Fe salts, including ferrous sulfate, ferrous fumarate, and ferric pyrophosphate, have varying degrees of solubility and absorption but are often associated with adverse sensory changes, lipid oxidation, and reduced product stability. Fe-ligand complexes, including protein-, carbohydrate-, and Maillard reaction product (MRP)-based systems, can impart improved stability to the fortified product and bioavailability by minimizing interactions with inhibitors of Fe absorption. The incorporation of Fe into dairy matrices influences product pH and structural and functional properties while also accelerating lipid oxidation and sensory deterioration when inorganic salts are used. Strategies such as Fe chelation, microencapsulation, and co-fortification with enhancers have shown potential to mitigate these limitations. In addition, the role of prebiotics, probiotics, and MRPs in modulating Fe absorption remains complex and context dependent. Despite promising advancements, gaps remain in understanding interactions between Fe, proteins, carbohydrates and MRP and their implications for Fe fortification of dairy systems. Future research should focus on developing integrated fortification approaches enabling the design of next-generation functional dairy foods to effectively combat global Fe deficiency.