Pomegranate as a source of bioactive constituents: a review on their characterization, properties and applications.

Increasing awareness about the use of compounds obtained from natural sources exerting health-beneficial properties, including antimicrobial and antioxidant effects, led to increased number of research papers focusing on the study of functional properties of target compounds to be used as functional foods or in preventive medicine. Pomegranate has shown positive health properties due to the presence of bioactive constituents such as polyphenols, tannins, and anthocyanins. Punicalagin is the major antioxidant, abundantly found in pomegranate's peel. Research has shown that pomegranate polyphenols not only have a strong antioxidant capacity but they also inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria like V. cholera, P. aeruginosa and S. aureus, B. cereus, E. coli, and S. virulence factor, and inhibits fungi such as A. Ochraceus, and P. citrinum. Compounds of natural origin inhibit the growth of various pathogens by extending the shelf life of foodstuffs and assuring their safety. Therefore, the need to find compounds to be used in combination with antibiotics or as new antimicrobial sources, such as plant extracts. On the basis of the above discussion, this review focuses on the health benefits of pomegranate, by summarizing the current body of research focusing on pomegranate bioactive constituents and their therapeutic potential against some pathogenic microbes.

Role of Milk-Derived Antibacterial Peptides in Modern Food Biotechnology: Their Synthesis, Applications and Future Perspectives.

Milk-derived antibacterial peptides (ABPs) are protein fragments with a positive influence on the functions and conditions of a living organism. Milk-derived ABPs have several useful properties important for human health, comprising a significant antibacterial effect against various pathogens, but contain toxic side-effects. These compounds are mainly produced from milk proteins via fermentation and protein hydrolysis. However, they can also be produced using recombinant DNA techniques or organic synthesis. This review describes the role of milk-derived ABPs in modern food biotechnology with an emphasis on their synthesis and applications. Additionally, we also discuss the mechanisms of action and the main bioproperties of ABPs. Finally, we explore future perspectives for improving ABP physicochemical properties and diminishing their toxic side-effects.