Betaine as a Functional Ingredient: Metabolism, Health-Promoting Attributes, Food Sources, Applications and Analysis Methods

Dejan Dobrijević; Kristian Pastor; Nataša Nastić; Fatih Özogul; Jelena Krulj; Bojana Kokić; Elena Bartkiene; João Miguel Rocha; Jovana Kojić

doi:10.3390/molecules28124824

Betaine as a Functional Ingredient: Metabolism, Health-Promoting Attributes, Food Sources, Applications and Analysis Methods

Molecules. 2023 Jun 17;28(12):4824. doi: 10.3390/molecules28124824.

Authors

Dejan Dobrijević^{1

2}, Kristian Pastor³, Nataša Nastić³, Fatih Özogul⁴, Jelena Krulj⁵, Bojana Kokić⁵, Elena Bartkiene^{6

7}, João Miguel Rocha^{8

9

10}, Jovana Kojić⁵

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Medicine Novi Sad, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia.
² Institute for Children and Youth Health Care of Vojvodina, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia.
³ Faculty of Technology Novi Sad, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia.
⁴ Department of Seafood Processing Technology, Faculty of Fisheries, Cukurova University, 01330 Adana, Turkey.
⁵ Institute of Food Technology (FINS), University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia.
⁶ Department of Food Safety and Quality, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, 44307 Kaunas, Lithuania.
⁷ Institute of Animal Rearing Technologies, Faculty of Animal Sciences, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Tilzes Str. 18, 44307 Kaunas, Lithuania.
⁸ CBQF-Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina-Laboratório Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Rua Diogo Botelho 1327, 4169-005 Porto, Portugal.
⁹ LEPABE-Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, s/n, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal.
¹⁰ ALiCE-Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, s/n, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal.

Abstract

Betaine is a non-essential amino acid with proven functional properties and underutilized potential. The most common dietary sources of betaine are beets, spinach, and whole grains. Whole grains-such as quinoa, wheat and oat brans, brown rice, barley, etc.-are generally considered rich sources of betaine. This valuable compound has gained popularity as an ingredient in novel and functional foods due to the demonstrated health benefits that it may provide. This review study will provide an overview of the various natural sources of betaine, including different types of food products, and explore the potential of betaine as an innovative functional ingredient. It will thoroughly discuss its metabolic pathways and physiology, disease-preventing and health-promoting properties, and further highlight the extraction procedures and detection methods in different matrices. In addition, gaps in the existing scientific literature will be emphasized.

Keywords: betaine; detection; disease prevention; extraction; food sources; functional applications; metabolic pathways.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Betaine* / analysis
Diet*
Dietary Fiber
Functional Food
Whole Grains

Substances

Betaine
Dietary Fiber

Grants and funding

This work received financial support from the Ministry of Science, Technological Development, and Innovation of the Republic of Serbia (Program no. 451-03-47/2023-01/200222 and 451-03-47/2023-01/200134). It also received financial support for the article processing charges from the COST Action 18101 SOURDOMICS—Sourdough Biotechnology Network towards novel, healthier, and sustainable food and bioprocesses.