Protein-polyphenol particles for delivering structural and health functionality

Dietary proteins and polyphenols contribute both nutritive and extra-nutritional (disease-preventing and metabolism-enhancing) benefits, and can participate in food structure formation and stabilization. There is a desire to increase consumption of proteins and polyphenols based on health considerations, and one approach is to form protein-polyphenol particles that combine both health and structural functionality in food products. The roles of proteins and polyphenols individually, or when bound together, are discussed in terms of health benefits (nutrition, disease prevention, satiety, allergy alleviation) and impact on food structure. The overall goal should be a rational design of protein-polyphenol particles to ensure a positive contribution to food quality, protein nutrition, and delivery of a health-relevant dose of polyphenols to the gastrointestinal tract.