The present review is designed to measure the effects of saffron extract in functional foods and its pharmacological properties against various disorders. Saffron is a traditional medicinal plant used as a food additive. The stigma of saffron has bioactive compounds such as safranal, crocin, crocetin, picrocrocin, kaempferol, and flavonoid. These bioactive compounds can be extracted using conventional (maceration, solvent extraction, soxhlet extraction, and vapor or hydrodistillation) and novel techniques (emulsion liquid membrane extraction, ultrasound-assisted extraction, enzyme-associated extraction, pulsed electric field extraction, microwave-assisted extraction, and supercritical fluid extraction). Saffron is used as a functional ingredient, natural colorant, shelf-life enhancer, and fortifying agent in developing different food products. The demand for saffron has been increasing in the pharma industry due to its protection against cardiovascular and Alzheimer disease and its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, and antidepressant properties. Conclusively, the phytochemical compounds of saffron improve the nutrition value of products and protect humans against various disorders.
The growth of functional components containing agricultural foods is enhancing because these components aid the human body against different chronic diseases. Currently, chia seeds basically belong to the mint family and are edible seeds of Salvia hispanica. These seeds are composed of different functional components including fiber, polyphenols, antioxidants, omega‐3 fatty acid vitamins, minerals, and peptides. Besides, these seeds are also a good source of vegetable protein, unsaturated fat, carbohydrates, and ash. Chia seed components are helpful in cardiovascular disease (CVD) by reducing blood pressure, platelet aggregation, cholesterol, and oxidation. In GI‐tract‐related diseases like diabetes and constipation, chia fiber reduces the blood glucose level and provides bulk to stool. However, antioxidants and polyphenols are protected beta cells of the pancreas from inflammation. These components are protected from the cell damage of the different body parts, which can provide help in different types of cancer including breast, colorectal, liver, and pancreatic. Conclusively, some pervious studies approved that chia seed components are played important role in chronic diseases.
The current review was carried out on the industrial application of fig by-products and their role against chronic disorders. Fig is basically belonging to fruit and is botanically called Ficus carica. There are different parts of fig, including the leaves, fruits, seeds and latex. The fig parts are a rich source of bioactive compounds and phytochemicals including antioxidants, phenolic compounds, polyunsaturated fatty acids, phytosterols and vitamins. These different parts of fig are used in different food industries such as the bakery, dairy and beverage industries. Fig by-products are used in extract or powder form to value the addition of different food products for the purpose of improving the nutritional value and enhancing the stability. Fig by-products are additive-based products which contain high phytochemicals fatty acids, polyphenols and antioxidants. Due to the high bioactive compounds, these products performed a vital role against various diseases including cancer, diabetes, constipation, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). Concussively, fig-based food products may be important for human beings and produce healthy food.
Crocin is a bioactive compound that naturally occurs in some medicinal plants, especially saffron and gardenia fruit. Different conventional and novel methods are used for its extraction. Due to some control conditions, recent methods such as ultrasonic extraction, supercritical fluid extraction, enzyme-associated extraction, microwave extraction, and pulsed electric field extraction are widely used because these methods give more yield and efficiency. Crocin is incorporated into different food products to make functional foods. However, it can also aid in the stability of food products. Due to its ability to protect against brain diseases, the demand for crocin has been rising in the pharmaceutical industry. It also contain antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer and antidepressant qualities. This review aims to describe crocin and its role in developing functional food, extraction, and bioavailability in various brain-related diseases. The results of the literature strongly support the importance of crocin against various diseases and its use in making different functional foods.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.