Macy M Helm, Gabriela Buccini, Brian K Schilling, Anne R Lindsay, Arpita Basu
{"title":"Dietary polyphenol intake in the prevention and management of diabetes mellitus: a systematic review of observational studies.","authors":"Macy M Helm, Gabriela Buccini, Brian K Schilling, Anne R Lindsay, Arpita Basu","doi":"10.1080/10408398.2026.2667410","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2026.2667410","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a major clinical and public health concern because of its high population burden. Clinical trials report promising antidiabetic effects of dietary polyphenols using supplementation. This systematic review investigated habitual-level polyphenol intake associations in observational studies for pre-, type 1, type 2, and gestational DM prevention and management. This review aimed to evaluate whether these associations may have implications for public health nutrition guidance. Database searches were last conducted in January 2025. Only articles available in English were considered. We identified 32,662 articles, of which 53 studies met the eligibility criteria and were included in the review. We used The Risk of Bias In Non-Randomized Studies-of Exposure (ROBINS-E) tool to assess risk of bias. Measures of association for each type of DM (primarily pre-DM and T2DM) were evaluated and synthesized. Strengths of associations between each polyphenol class and DM outcomes varied; however, flavonoids and lignans had repeated small to moderate DM risk reduction. Our findings suggest that higher habitual intake of polyphenol-rich foods may be associated with DM prevention, but the strength of evidence is not sufficient to justify dietary recommendations. T1DM and GDM were underrepresented in our review, warranting future investigations (PROSPERO registration #CRD420251003017).</p>","PeriodicalId":10767,"journal":{"name":"Critical reviews in food science and nutrition","volume":" ","pages":"1-26"},"PeriodicalIF":8.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147863801","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Gert W Meijer, Vincenzo Fogliano, Liisa Lähteenmäki, Lilia M Ahrné, David Labbe, Ciarán G Forde
{"title":"From fiction to facts: on the safety, rules, perception, and role of food additives.","authors":"Gert W Meijer, Vincenzo Fogliano, Liisa Lähteenmäki, Lilia M Ahrné, David Labbe, Ciarán G Forde","doi":"10.1080/10408398.2026.2669055","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2026.2669055","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Consumer perceptions of food additives are often negative, driven by unfamiliar terminology, associations with \"ultra‑processed food,\" and concerns about reduced naturalness. Despite this, additives play essential roles in food preservation, sensory quality, and safety, and undergo rigorous safety evaluation in jurisdictions worldwide by authoritative bodies such as JECFA, EFSA, and the (US-)FDA. While some studies suggest possible effects of specific emulsifiers or sweeteners on the microbiome or metabolism, evidence is limited and often not reflective of real dietary exposure. Broader claims-such as additives causing \"hyper‑palatability\" or \"food addiction\"-lack scientific support, with research showing that overeating is more closely linked to energy density and food availability than additives themselves. Reducing additives use, without sound scientific justification, may inadvertently worsen nutrient profiles of foods, and increase food waste and health risks. Improving public understanding of additives safety and function is essential to counter misconceptions and avoid counterproductive reformulation decisions.</p>","PeriodicalId":10767,"journal":{"name":"Critical reviews in food science and nutrition","volume":" ","pages":"1-26"},"PeriodicalIF":8.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147863760","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Mitchell M Kanter, Sally Aaron, Steven N Austad, Andrew W Brown, Nicholas A Burd, Wayne W Campbell, Mark Cope, Teresa A Davis, John W Erdman, Miguel Freitas, Kristen Hicks-Roof, Samuel Klein, Wantanee Kriengsinyos, Dudley W Lamming, Donald K Layman, Heather J Leidy, Kevin C Maki, Richard D Mattes, Shalene McNeill, Daniel R Moore, Stefan M Pasiakos, Stuart M Phillips, David Raubenheimer, Wendy Reinhardt, Nancy R Rodriguez, Stephen Simpson, Hans H Stein, Luc J C van Loon, Connie M Weaver, David B Allison
{"title":"Examining widely held propositions on human dietary protein needs and benefits: a critical review of the science that shapes both the data and our understanding of an essential macronutrient.","authors":"Mitchell M Kanter, Sally Aaron, Steven N Austad, Andrew W Brown, Nicholas A Burd, Wayne W Campbell, Mark Cope, Teresa A Davis, John W Erdman, Miguel Freitas, Kristen Hicks-Roof, Samuel Klein, Wantanee Kriengsinyos, Dudley W Lamming, Donald K Layman, Heather J Leidy, Kevin C Maki, Richard D Mattes, Shalene McNeill, Daniel R Moore, Stefan M Pasiakos, Stuart M Phillips, David Raubenheimer, Wendy Reinhardt, Nancy R Rodriguez, Stephen Simpson, Hans H Stein, Luc J C van Loon, Connie M Weaver, David B Allison","doi":"10.1080/10408398.2026.2658728","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2026.2658728","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The essentiality of protein in the human diet is unequivocal. Yet researchers, clinicians, and lay people often believe numerous propositions about dietary protein despite insufficient supporting or refuting data in some instances. To address this disconnect, and to \"pressure-test\" current beliefs about dietary protein, the Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington convened a workshop in February 2025 titled \"<i>Human Dietary Protein Needs and Benefits: A Critical Assessment of Postulated Propositions.\"</i> More than 20 international experts discussed (1) methodologic issues affecting data acquisition and interpretation; (2) \"optimal\" dietary protein intakes and effects on muscle protein synthesis rates, muscle protein accretion, muscle growth, and muscle repair; (3) protein needs during weight loss; (4) acute protein intake thresholds above and below which protein is no longer related to anabolism; and (5) dietary protein intakes above which protein may be detrimental to health. The experts rated each proposition on a scale from \"<i>existing evidence strongly supports the proposition</i>\" to \"<i>existing evidence seems sufficient to rule out the viability of the proposition.</i>\" In most instances, the experts believed additional research was warranted. For many propositions the research base was insufficient in terms of quality (rigor), quantity (sample size, study duration), or pertinence (e.g., use of surrogate markers).</p>","PeriodicalId":10767,"journal":{"name":"Critical reviews in food science and nutrition","volume":" ","pages":"1-35"},"PeriodicalIF":8.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147834840","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ana Flávia Vendramin Comunello, Larine Kupski, Jaqueline Garda-Buffon
{"title":"Adsorbents and biosorbents applied in the mitigation of mycotoxins in food: a systematic review.","authors":"Ana Flávia Vendramin Comunello, Larine Kupski, Jaqueline Garda-Buffon","doi":"10.1080/10408398.2026.2668094","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2026.2668094","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Adsorption is a strategy for reducing mycotoxin contamination in food, standing out among other approaches due to its simplicity and efficiency. In addition, the potential use of biosorbents makes this strategy even more promising. Thus, the aim of this systematic review was to identify adsorbents used for mycotoxin removal in food and beverages, and evaluate the potential of biosorbents as an alternative material for mycotoxin mitigation. For this purpose, the review was conducted following the PRISMA methodology, with a bibliographic search performed in the ScienceDirect, Web of Science, SciELO, and Scopus databases. A total of 48 manuscripts were included in this systematic review, of which 58% used biosorbents and 42% employed synthetic adsorbent materials. The variability in food matrices, mycotoxin concentrations, and operational parameters prevented direct comparison between synthetic adsorbents and biosorbents. Overall, the findings highlight the diversity of adsorbent materials available for mycotoxin removal and point to the need for further studies standardizing experimental conditions to enable more comprehensive comparisons across adsorbents.</p>","PeriodicalId":10767,"journal":{"name":"Critical reviews in food science and nutrition","volume":" ","pages":"1-18"},"PeriodicalIF":8.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147834820","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Fangshu Fan, Guifang Huang, David Julian McClements, Huichang Zhong, Liyi Chen, Qing Hong, Zhenmin Liu, Zhengyu Jin, Long Chen
{"title":"The formation mechanism and regulation of the unique flavor in fried dough products.","authors":"Fangshu Fan, Guifang Huang, David Julian McClements, Huichang Zhong, Liyi Chen, Qing Hong, Zhenmin Liu, Zhengyu Jin, Long Chen","doi":"10.1080/10408398.2026.2667407","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2026.2667407","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The distinctive aroma of fried flour-based products results from synergistic high-temperature reactions, primarily the Maillard reaction and lipid oxidation. However, these complex chemical pathways are prone to quality deterioration during processing and storage, including acrylamide formation, lipid rancidity, and flavor loss. This review systematically examines flavor formation mechanisms and establishes comprehensive control strategies across the entire industrial chain. It highlights modern flavor characterization techniques-including GC-MS, GC-O, GC-IMS, electronic nose, flavoromics, and artificial intelligence-based flavor analysis-that enable precise monitoring of volatile profiles and the degree of oxidation. The analysis covers the critical influence of ingredient ratios, oil selection, innovative pretreatments, novel frying methods, and post-frying processes on flavor precursors, reaction pathways, and product stability. Synergistic regulation via ingredient optimization and advanced technologies effectively enhances desirable aromas while suppressing harmful compounds and controlling oil absorption. This integrated approach provides a robust framework for advancing the sensory quality, food safety, and flavor stability of fried flour-based products in modern industrial manufacturing.</p>","PeriodicalId":10767,"journal":{"name":"Critical reviews in food science and nutrition","volume":" ","pages":"1-15"},"PeriodicalIF":8.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147834748","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Cheng Zhang, Junhao Chen, Shuyi Ruan, Zhenyu Wang, Xianjun Dai
{"title":"Yerba mate tea: a critical review on its phytochemicals, health benefits, safety, and food industry applications.","authors":"Cheng Zhang, Junhao Chen, Shuyi Ruan, Zhenyu Wang, Xianjun Dai","doi":"10.1080/10408398.2026.2664049","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2026.2664049","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The leaves of Ilex paraguariensis, known as Yerba Mate (YM), have been traditionally consumed as an infusion in South America. Drawing on research from major scientific databases (PubMed, ScienceDirect, ACS, and Web of Science), this review provides an overview of YM's phytochemical composition, health effects, safety, and food applications. YM contains a variety of bioactive compounds, including polyphenols, methylxanthines, saponins, and flavonoids. Its chemical profile and biological activity are significantly influenced by processing methods such as drying, aging, and grinding. Once consumed, these compounds are bioavailable and widely distributed in the body, contributing to various physiological effects. Evidence supports several health benefits of YM, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-obesity, and cardioprotective properties, along with potential prebiotic effects. However, safety concerns exist, particularly the possible formation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) during traditional drying processes. Beyond its use as a beverage, YM shows strong potential in the food industry for applications in functional foods, nutraceuticals, and natural preservatives. In conclusion, YM represents a promising source of functional ingredients with broad potential for health-oriented and culinary applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":10767,"journal":{"name":"Critical reviews in food science and nutrition","volume":" ","pages":"1-20"},"PeriodicalIF":8.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147834751","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Shufu Xie, Wenmeng Liu, David Julian McClements, Qing Hong, Zhenmin Liu, Feng Ji, Linjun Zhang, Kai Ma, Zhengyu Jin, Long Chen
{"title":"Research progress and prospects of nutrient delivery systems in food design for the elderly.","authors":"Shufu Xie, Wenmeng Liu, David Julian McClements, Qing Hong, Zhenmin Liu, Feng Ji, Linjun Zhang, Kai Ma, Zhengyu Jin, Long Chen","doi":"10.1080/10408398.2026.2664047","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2026.2664047","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The global aging population has led to age-related digestive dysfunction, which has become a key driver of malnutrition and declining health. Physiological degeneration in older adults severely reduces nutrient bioavailability, making conventional single nutrient supplementation ineffective. Nutrient delivery systems tailored to the physiological constraints of the elderly show great value in alleviating geriatric malnutrition. Micro/nanoencapsulation, emulsions, and gels are particularly promising platforms for elderly-targeted food innovation due to their tunable structure, controlled targeted release, and good biocompatibility. Moreover, combining delivery systems with 3D printing for personalized nutrition and dysphagia-friendly texture design has emerged as an important trend in age-appropriate food development. This review outlines the digestive physiological constraints of the elderly and the design principles of nutrient delivery systems, highlights the adaptive optimization and recent applications of major delivery technologies in geriatric foods, and discusses intervention strategies, current challenges, and future directions. It aims to provide theoretical support for the research and innovation of functional foods tailored for older adults.</p>","PeriodicalId":10767,"journal":{"name":"Critical reviews in food science and nutrition","volume":" ","pages":"1-15"},"PeriodicalIF":8.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147834826","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Upcycling of flaxseed meal from waste into functional ingredients toward zero-waste biorefinery concept: a comprehensive review for maximizing food and nutritional applications.","authors":"Shoutao Wang, Xinying Qin, Qiuping Chen, Ying Feng, Yong Wang, Ying Li","doi":"10.1080/10408398.2026.2666228","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2026.2666228","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Flaxseed (<i>Linum usitatissimum</i> L.) has gained prominence in China, primarily attributed to its exceptional nutraceutical profile. However, defatted flaxseed meal is a major by-product that remains significantly underutilized, whose endogenous bioactive compounds (e.g., lignans, gum, cyclolinopeptide, and protein) deserve to be exploited for value-added utilization. The comprehensive utilization potential of flaxseed meals remains largely unexplored, thereby posing a critical challenge for sustainable agricultural development and circular economy implementation. Whereas prior reviews have predominantly examined individual flaxseed components regarding extraction, bioactivity, or applications, few have integrated these perspectives under a unified biorefinery framework to advance meal upcycling from waste to functional ingredients. Considering the zero-waste biorefinery concept, flaxseed meal could be upcycled into functional ingredients to accomplish Sustainable Development Goals. This review outlines the research progress on value-added processing of the main bioactive components in flaxseed meals to maximize their food and nutritional applications, including their basic properties, conventional and innovative extractions, and promising biological activities for further applications. Moreover, the challenges facing the comprehensive utilization of flaxseed meals were identified by considering food safety and consumer acceptability. In addition, suggestions for future industrial development are proposed to reduce food waste with additional revenue streams.</p>","PeriodicalId":10767,"journal":{"name":"Critical reviews in food science and nutrition","volume":" ","pages":"1-21"},"PeriodicalIF":8.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147834801","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Is the experimental evidence on ultra-processed food and obesity reliable?","authors":"David S Ludwig","doi":"10.1080/10408398.2026.2664043","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2026.2664043","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Public health experts have issued widespread calls to target ultra-processed foods (UPF) in nutrition policy to prevent obesity and other diet-related chronic diseases. Several short-term crossover feeding studies have examined the effects of UPF consumption on energy intake and body weight, but their findings remain inconclusive, largely due to methodological limitations and imprecision in the Nova classification used to define UPF exposure. Long-term data demonstrating the effectiveness of reducing UPF intake are lacking. Consequently, the available evidence does not establish a causal role of UPF consumption in obesity. Additional research is needed to determine whether UPF, as defined by Nova, exerts effects on energy intake and body weight beyond those attributable to established dietary factors such as energy density and nutrient composition.</p>","PeriodicalId":10767,"journal":{"name":"Critical reviews in food science and nutrition","volume":" ","pages":"1-5"},"PeriodicalIF":8.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147812127","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Christoph Hassenberg, Carina I Mack, Claudia Favari, Sylvie Baier, Ramon Estruch, Gabi Kastenmüller, Rosa Lamuela-Raventós, Rikard Landberg, Pedro Mena, Costanza Michelini, Stefania Noerman, Ana Rodriguez-Mateos, Mia Stråvik, Francisco A Tomás-Barberán, Lara Vehovec, David S Wishart, Claudine Manach, Sabine E Kulling
{"title":"A scoring system for validity assessment of biomarkers of food intake.","authors":"Christoph Hassenberg, Carina I Mack, Claudia Favari, Sylvie Baier, Ramon Estruch, Gabi Kastenmüller, Rosa Lamuela-Raventós, Rikard Landberg, Pedro Mena, Costanza Michelini, Stefania Noerman, Ana Rodriguez-Mateos, Mia Stråvik, Francisco A Tomás-Barberán, Lara Vehovec, David S Wishart, Claudine Manach, Sabine E Kulling","doi":"10.1080/10408398.2026.2633561","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2026.2633561","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Recently, numerous novel putative biomarkers of food intake (BFIs) have been discovered to complement self-reported dietary assessment. However, few BFIs have been properly validated for their intended applications due to lack of comprehensive validation frameworks, need for complementary expertise and scattered data in the literature. Although a few biomarker validation frameworks have been proposed, they still require improvement to fully encompass relevant criteria and provide precise guidance for harmonized evaluation of BFI validity. The FoodPhyt consortium developed a new scoring system based on the FoodBAll validation scheme, to standardize scoring and allow comparison of BFIs with varying validity. The following criteria were included: level of identification and plausibility (pass-or-fail criteria), specificity, variability in plants/foods and biological samples, dose-response, robustness, and analytical characterization. The score is bipartite and includes availability of supporting literature (data availability), and BFI quality (performance). Data availability helps assessing confidence in the assigned score, while highlighting knowledge gaps. Detailed guidelines and examples are provided to facilitate BFI scoring and reproducible application. An online repository, BFI-Hub (https://biomarker.plantintake.eu/app/), was developed to share validity scores of BFIs and detailed validation data. This database represents a key step to make BFI information universally accessible and facilitate application of BFIs in practice.</p>","PeriodicalId":10767,"journal":{"name":"Critical reviews in food science and nutrition","volume":" ","pages":"1-27"},"PeriodicalIF":8.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147765035","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}