Research progress on the functions and biosynthesis of theaflavins

Yufeng Liu; Dongyang Wang; Jing Li; Zhen Zhang; Yali Wang; Chenxi Qiu; Yujiao Sun; Chunmei Pan

doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.139285

Research progress on the functions and biosynthesis of theaflavins

Food Chem. 2024 Apr 9:450:139285. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.139285. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Yufeng Liu¹, Dongyang Wang¹, Jing Li¹, Zhen Zhang¹, Yali Wang¹, Chenxi Qiu¹, Yujiao Sun¹, Chunmei Pan²

Affiliations

¹ College of Food and Biological Engineering (Liquor College), Henan University of Animal Husbandry and Economy, Zhengzhou 450046, China.
² College of Food and Biological Engineering (Liquor College), Henan University of Animal Husbandry and Economy, Zhengzhou 450046, China. Electronic address: sige518888@163.com.

PMID: 38631203
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.139285

Abstract

Theaflavins are beneficial to human health due to various bioactivities. Biosynthesis of theaflavins using polyphenol oxidase (PPO) is advantageous due to cost effectiveness and environmental friendliness. In this review, studies on the mechanism of theaflavins formation, the procedures to screen and prepare PPOs, optimization of reaction systems and immobilization of PPOs were described. The challenges associated with the mass biosynthesis of theaflavins, such as poor enzyme activity, undesirable subproducts and inclusion bodies of recombinant PPOs were presented. Further strategies to solve these challenges and improve theaflavins production, including enzyme engineering, immobilization enzyme technology, water-immiscible solvent-water biphasic systems and recombinant enzyme technology, were proposed.

Keywords: Enzyme engineering; Immobilization enzyme; Polyphenol oxidase.

Publication types

Review