Polyphenols in fermented apple juice: Beneficial effects on human health

Abstract

• Factors affecting the polyphenol composition of fermented apple juice were presented. • Polyphenols are mainly converted into small-molecule active substances by induced enzyme. • The effect of fermented apple juice on non-communicable diseases were reviewed. • These small molecular weight active substances could help prevent CVD and T2DM. Chronic non-communicable diseases are one of the major human health challenges in the 21st century. Fermented apple juice rich in polyphenols has a beneficial effect on the prevention of non-communicable diseases. This review illustrates that the fermentation process involved in biotransformation significantly changes the composition and content of polyphenols in cloudy apple juice related to apple varieties, fermentation types, and fermentation strains. The enzymatic transformation reaction converts polyphenols into small molecules phenolic compounds with higher biologically activity. These small molecular weight active substances could help prevent cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus by mediating the AMPK pathway, the Nrf2 signaling pathway, the polyol pathway, and the NF-κB pathway. Moreover, this review is intended to provide a systematic theoretical basis for researchers to further study the bioactive function of fermented apple juice for the first time.