Apple phenolics as nutraceuticals: assessment, analysis and application.

Area of Science:

• Nutritional Science
• Phytochemistry
• Food Science

Background:

• Modern lifestyles and diets contribute to rising health disorders like cardiometabolic and respiratory diseases.
• Fruits and vegetables, particularly apples, are recognized for their rich polyphenol content.
• Polyphenols, including dihydrochalcones, flavanols, flavonols, anthocyanins, and phenolic acids, are key phytochemicals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the potential of apple phenolic compounds from various sources (fruit, leaves, bark, pomace) as dietary polyphenols.
• To discuss the therapeutic aspects and metabolic mechanisms of apple polyphenols.
• To explore the implications of these compounds for human health.

Main Methods:

• Review of scientific literature on apple phenolic compounds.
• Analysis of research on the health impacts of dietary polyphenols.
• Discussion of advancements in analytical techniques like High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for phenolic assessment.

Main Results:

• Apple phenolic compounds demonstrate significant positive impacts on human health.
• Various nutraceuticals, dietary supplements, and phenolic-rich foods derived from apples are available.
• Advanced analytical methods enable rapid and reliable assessment of apple phenolics.

Conclusions:

• Apple polyphenols hold considerable therapeutic promise for managing diet-related health issues.
• Further research into the metabolic mechanisms and health benefits of apple polyphenols is warranted.
• The growing interest in natural compounds underscores the importance of apple-derived phytochemicals in human health.