Functional and nutraceutical properties of maize bran cell wall non-starch polysaccharides

In most of the countries around the world, the ever increase in food processing industries around the world is producing various types of by-products including peel, bran, pomace, refused pulp, shells, hull, husk, pods, seeds. With increasing activity in health-promoting functional foods, increase in the demand for natural bioactive moieties and new areas of research are on the way. Many by-products have been explored for health endorsing properties however, maize bran cell walls (MBCWs) and their various components (non-starch polysaccharides) are of chief importance. In this review, efforts are focused to illustrate the functional and nutraceutical importance of maize bran cell walls. Maize bran cell wall is made up of non-starch polysaccharide materials including arabinoxylans, heteroxylans, and hemicellulose. It holds various bioactive compounds such as ferulic acid, diferulic acid, and p-coumaric acid, having enormous nutraceutical properties, like antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, antiaging, cardioprotective, prebiotic and antiviral effects. These bioactive compounds are protecting against various disorders, like hypercholesterolemia, diabetes, cancer, neurodegenerative, cardiovascular, and thrombosis diseases. Furthermore, extraction, functional and nutraceutical properties, possible uses, and industrial applications of MBCW are the limelight of this article.

Automated summary

Maize bran cell walls, composed of non-starch polysaccharides, contain various bioactive compounds with abundant nutraceutical properties, beneficial for preventing various diseases.