The diverse sources and bioactive properties of food-derived extracellular vesicles（FEVs） render them a promising tool for drug delivery and the management of metabolic disease. Despite the growing interest in FEVs, no systematic review has addressed their dual roles in targeted drug delivery and metabolic disease management. Herein, we summarize the latest research progress of FEVs, focusing on their sources and unique properties, and outline their advantages and challenges in the field of drug delivery, including targeting and therapeutic efficacy. In addition, this review discusses the role of FEVs in metabolic diseases, expounds their limitations in current research, and proposes future research directions. Current research on FEVs has primarily focused on their sources, including milk, plants, and microorganisms, as well as their bioactive components, such as proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. FEVs exhibit stability in harsh environments and can cross biological barriers, thereby making them suitable for drug delivery and the management of metabolic diseases. However, the molecular mechanism by which FEVs-miRNAs regulate host metabolic signaling pathways remains unclear, which limits our understanding of their therapeutic potential. In summary, this review enhances our understanding of FEVs applications, identifies the limitations of the current research, and provides a foundation for advancing their targeted modification and clinical translation.
Li et al. (Sun,) studied this question.