Glutathione for Food and Health Applications with Emphasis on Extraction, Identification, and Quantification Methods

A Review

authored by
Anfal Alwan Al-Temimi, Aum-El-Bashar Al-Mossawi, Sawsan A. Al-Hilifi, Sameh A. Korma, Tuba Esatbeyoglu, João Miguel Rocha, Vipul Agarwal
Abstract

Glutathione is a naturally occurring compound that plays a crucial role in the cellular response to oxidative stress through its ability to quench free radicals, thus mitigating the risk of potential damage, including cell death. While glutathione is endogenously present in different plants and animal cells, their concentration varies considerably. The alteration in glutathione homeostasis can be used as a potential marker for human diseases. In the case of the depletion of endogenous glutathione, exogenous sources can be used to replenish the pool. To this end, both natural and synthetic glutathione can be used. However, the health benefit of glutathione from natural sources derived from fruits and vegetables is still debated. There is increasingly growing evidence of the potential health benefits of glutathione in different diseases; however, the determination and in situ quantification of endogenously produced glutathione remains a major challenge. For this reason, it has been difficult to understand the bioprocessing of exogenously delivered glutathione in vivo. The development of an in situ technique will also aid in the routine monitoring of glutathione as a biomarker for different oxidative stress-mediated diseases. Furthermore, an understanding of the in vivo bioprocessing of exogenously delivered glutathione will also aid the food industry both towards improving the longevity and profile of food products and the development of glutathione delivery products for long-term societal health benefits. In this review, we surveyed the natural plant-derived sources of glutathione, the identification and quantification of extracted glutathione from these sources, and the role of glutathione in the food industry and its effect on human health.

Organisation(s)
Institute of Food Science and Human Nutrition
Molecular Food Chemistry and Food Development
External Organisation(s)
University of Basrah
Zagazig University
South China University of Technology
Universidade Católica Portuguesa (UCP)
University of New South Wales (UNSW)
Type
Article
Journal
Metabolites
Volume
13
Publication date
24.03.2023
Publication status
Published
Peer reviewed
Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas
Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
Sustainable Development Goals
SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
Electronic version(s)
https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo13040465 (Access: Open)