Proanthocyanidins in cereals and pseudocereals

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Nutritional Biochemistry
• Plant Chemistry

Background:

• Proanthocyanidins (PAs) are flavonoid oligomers found in plant foods.
• Dietary PA intake is linked to reduced chronic disease risk.
• Grains are staple foods, offering potential for PA enrichment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the occurrence and diversity of PAs in various cereal and pseudocereal grains.
• To summarize the biological activities and health benefits of grain PAs.
• To discuss PA bioavailability, metabolism, and future research directions.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of scientific publications on grain proanthocyanidins.
• Analysis of data on PA structure, composition, and distribution in diverse grains.
• Compilation of research on biological activities, bioavailability, and metabolism of PAs.

Main Results:

• Significant diversity in PA structure and composition exists across different grain types.
• Grain PAs exhibit various biological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antidiabetic properties.
• Understanding PA bioavailability and metabolism is crucial for human health applications.

Conclusions:

• Grains are a rich source of diverse proanthocyanidins with significant health-promoting potential.
• Development of PA-rich grain genotypes can lead to novel functional foods.
• Further research is needed to elucidate PA chemistry and optimize their use for human health.