Unleash the Power of Citrus: Functional Activity and Delivery of Citrus Secondary Metabolites

Abstract

Citrus fruits are widely cultivated globally due to their exceptional contributions in energy supply, nutritional value, and health supplementation. Citrus-derived secondary metabolites, including flavonoids, phenolic acids are crucial for human health due to their diverse bioactivities such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory effects. To fully utilize citrus secondary metabolites, multiple approaches are required for their extraction and quantitative determination, coupled with encapsulation systems to enhance their bioavailability and nutritional value. This review summarizes the diverse secondary metabolites in citrus fruits and their biological activities, presenting recent advances in extracting and quantifying these compounds. Additionally, this paper summarizes common encapsulation systems for citrus secondary metabolites, detailing the formation principles, wall material selection, preparation methods, and advantages/disadvantages of different systems. These encapsulation systems feature high encapsulation efficiency, low production costs, and high bioavailability. Leveraging the unique advantages, applicable conditions, and consumer demand for health and nutrition across various encapsulation methods, diverse products can be developed. This review aims to provide a theoretical basis for further research and rational utilization of citrus plant resources.