Abstract
Grape polyphenols are associated with the prevention of diseases caused by oxidative stress. The present review discusses the most abundant polyphenols in red grapes as well as the recent food and beverage products developed with these natural antioxidant substances. Grape phenolic concentration and composition depend on agro-geographic factors and processing conditions. In humans, grape polyphenols demonstrated effects such as maintenance of endothelial function, increase in antioxidant capacity and protection against LDL oxidation. Recent patents regarding grape polyphenols show a tendency to return to natural products with a minimum use of severe extraction processes and organic solvents. The new products tend to use grape juice and wine as raw materials and maximize their polyphenolic contents. Grape derived polyphenolic foods, beverages and supplements suit effectively the current demand for antioxidant substances of nutritional interest.
Keywords: Flavonoids, cardiovascular diseases, extraction process, wine, grape juice
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