Interactions of Hydroxycinnamic Acids with Proteins and Their Technological and Nutritional Implications

Antioxidant properties and health benefits of hydroxycinnamic acids cause food technologists to apply them as additives to new functional foods. Meanwhile, many of these products contain significant amounts of proteins in the native form or added isolates and hydrolysates. In this type of food, interactions between hydroxycinnamic acids and proteins will inevitably occur. The effect of such interactions in designed food could be more important than in the processed natural raw food materials and can significantly decrease the bioavailability of hydroxycinnamic acids and proteins as well as antioxidant activity of the product. This review describes chemical mechanism of protein–hydroxycinnamic acid interactions and the effect of formed adducts on technological and nutritional properties of food.