A review on ROS mediated oxidative stress in cereal-based food: Focusing on the modification of protein structural...

Cereals, a primary global protein source, exhibit functional limitations in their proteins, severely restricting their processing suitability in the food industry. Recent studies have found that protein oxidation, traditionally regarded as a quality deterioration reaction, can enhance the functional properties of cereal proteins under appropriate conditions. However, the specific mechanisms of cereal protein oxidation and its impact on protein structure and function remain unclear. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), molecular oxygen derivatives, serve as critical triggers for protein oxidative modification. This review systematically elaborates on the composition and structural characteristics of common cereal proteins, the generation pathways and oxidation mechanisms of ROS in cereals, clarifies the changes in protein structure and function induced by ROS-mediated oxidative modifications, and summarizes oxidation regulation strategies, providing a theoretical foundation for the preparation of oxidatively modified cereal proteins and their applications in the food industry.