Fucosterol is the predominant sterol in brown algae, exhibits multiple bioactivities relevant to human health, including regulation of lipid metabolism, improvement of insulin resistance, as well as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, neuroprotective, and antitumor effects. These effects are primarily mediated through the modulation of key metabolic and inflammatory signaling pathways, including LXR, PPARγ, and NF-κB. However, its high hydrophobicity (LogP≈7.9), poor aqueous solubility, and low oral bioavailability (<10%), together with its susceptibility to oxidative degradation during processing and storage, significantly limit its application in functional food systems. This review systematically summarizes the distribution, content variability, and structural characteristics of fucosterol in edible seaweeds, as well as its diet-related health benefits and underlying molecular mechanisms. Furthermore, recent advances in food-grade delivery and encapsulation strategies for improving the stability and bioavailability of lipophilic sterols are discussed, with emphasis on systems such as liposomes, nanoemulsions, and biopolymer-based carriers. A comparative evaluation of the advantages and limitations of these delivery systems is also provided in the context of functional food development. Future research directions are proposed to support the development of fucosterol as a marine-derived functional food ingredient. • Fucosterol is a characteristic and multifaceted bioactive phytosterol abundant in edible brown seaweeds. • It exhibits promising health-promoting activities relevant to metabolic, cardiovascular, and neural health. • Key challenges for its food application are poor solubility, low bioavailability, and processing instability. • Food-grade delivery systems (e.g., emulsions, biopolymer complexes) are crucial to enhance its stability and efficacy. • It holds significant potential as a high-value functional ingredient for future health-oriented foods.
Guo et al. (Fri,) studied this question.