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Review
. 2022 Feb 1;23(3):1710.
doi: 10.3390/ijms23031710.

Biotechnological Applications and Health-Promoting Properties of Flavonols: An Updated View

Teresa Gervasi  1 , Antonella Calderaro  2 , Davide Barreca  2 , Ester Tellone  2 , Domenico Trombetta  2 , Silvana Ficarra  2 , Antonella Smeriglio  2 , Giuseppina Mandalari  2 , Giuseppe Gattuso  2
Affiliations
Review

Biotechnological Applications and Health-Promoting Properties of Flavonols: An Updated View

Teresa Gervasi et al. Int J Mol Sci. .

Abstract

Flavonols are a subclass of natural flavonoids characterized by a remarkable number of biotechnological applications and health-promoting properties. They attract researchers' attention due to many epidemiological studies supporting their usage. They are phytochemicals commonly present in our diet, being ubiquitous in the plant kingdom and, in particular, relatively very abundant in fruits and vegetables. All these aspects make flavonols candidates of choice for the valorization of products, based on the presence of a remarkable number of different chemical structures, each one characterized by specific chemical features capable of influencing biological targets inside the living organisms in very different manners. In this review, we analyzed the biochemical and physiological characteristics of flavonols focalizing our attention on the most promising compounds to shed some light on their increasing utilization in biotechnological applications in processing industries, as well as their suitable employment to improve the overall wellness of the humankind.

Keywords: biotechnological applications; flavonols; functional foods; health-promoting properties; phytonutrients.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Free radical (R•) quenching mechanism for quercetin, along with the most relevant resonance structures for the intermediate aryloxy radical formed upon reaction with the first R• species.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Schematic representation of the main biotechnological applications of flavonols.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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