Plant Extracts as Natural Inhibitors of Non-Enzymatic Browning: A Case of Fruits and Fruit-Based Products

Heat processing in fruit and fruit-based food products is aimed at producing nutritious, shelf-stable, and consumer- appealing food products. However, the processing and prolonged storage conditions employed favour non-enzymatic browning (NEB) reactions. Recent research is aimed at finding natural products to inhibit deleterious food reactions, with NEB being one of them. This review discusses the role of plant extracts in inhibiting NEB reactions during the processing and storage of fruit and fruit-based products. The review follows a traditional narrative approach, where approximately 100 articles were reviewed by summarising the role of vegetables, fruits, and fruit-based products in the diet, followed by the chemical reactions taking place during processing and storage, with emphasis on the pathways of three types of NEB reactions. We evaluate the prevention of NEB reactions using plant and plant extracts with a focus on the inhibitory mechanisms, as well as limitations, thereof. Encapsulation was also discussed as a possible intervention for the limitations posed by plant extracts.