The role, mechanisms and evaluation of natural chelating agents in food stability: a review
Chiara Mussio, Pascual García-Pérez, Emanuele Moret, Silvia Catena, Luigi Lucini
Abstract
Transition metals may reduce the shelf life of foods, particularly emulsions, by triggering lipid oxidation, leading to undesirable compounds, nutrient loss, and reduced quality via Fenton's reaction involving the catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide by Fe 2+ or Cu + to produce reactive oxygen species. This review provides an updated view of natural chelating agents and their evaluation in food systems. EDTA is the most used synthetic chelating agent worldwide; however, natural ingredients are gaining popularity, driven by consumers' demand for clean labels. Phenolic compounds, carotenoids, and plant extracts can be natural alternatives, even though they may alter the sensory profile of foods. Metal-chelating properties of natural extracts are evaluated by in vitro spectrophotometric methods, but in silico molecular docking has emerged as a valuable alternative. More recently, metabolomics enabled the discovery of new chelating agents, unraveling their mechanism of action and paving the way towards novel formulations in food design. • By binding metals, chelating agents can delay oxidative processes in foods. • The interest in natural ingredients with chelating ability is growing fast. • Some chelating agents may provide sensory alterations in food. • In vitro assays are traditionally used to evaluate chelating agents. • Metabolomics can conveniently investigate the effect of chelating agents.