Functional Properties and Potential Applications of Wheat Bran Extracts in Food and Cosmetics: A Review of Antioxidant, Enzyme-Inhibitory, and Anti-Aging Benefits

This review examines existing studies on wheat bran extracts (WBEs) to provide an overview of their functional properties, including antioxidant and enzyme-inhibitory activities, highlighting their potential as natural alternatives for applications in both the food and cosmetic industries. Despite v...

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Main Authors: Kaori Kobayashi, Md Suzauddula, Ryan Bender, Cheng Li, Yonghui Li, Xiuzhi Susan Sun, Weiqun Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-02-01
Series:Foods
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/3/515
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author Kaori Kobayashi
Md Suzauddula
Ryan Bender
Cheng Li
Yonghui Li
Xiuzhi Susan Sun
Weiqun Wang
author_facet Kaori Kobayashi
Md Suzauddula
Ryan Bender
Cheng Li
Yonghui Li
Xiuzhi Susan Sun
Weiqun Wang
author_sort Kaori Kobayashi
collection DOAJ
description This review examines existing studies on wheat bran extracts (WBEs) to provide an overview of their functional properties, including antioxidant and enzyme-inhibitory activities, highlighting their potential as natural alternatives for applications in both the food and cosmetic industries. Despite variations in extraction techniques, WBEs consistently demonstrated a significant presence of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity. In the food industry, WBEs are valued for their nutritional richness, including dietary fiber, proteins, and bioactive compounds such as arabinoxylans. These compounds improve food texture, stability, and baking properties. Additionally, WBEs have demonstrated antimicrobial potential, enhanced product quality, and serve as natural preservatives. Furthermore, WBEs exhibit significant inhibitory effects against collagenase and elastase, suggesting promising anti-aging potential. In the cosmetics sector, WBEs have gained attention due to their emulsion stability, skin-whitening properties, antimicrobial effects, and antioxidant capacities. They have the potential to enhance the stability of cosmetic emulsions, improve skin hydration, and inhibit enzymes linked to skin aging, positioning WBEs as potentially natural alternatives to synthetic ingredients in skincare and anti-aging products. Our recent pilot study also supports that WBEs enhance antioxidant defenses against oxidative stress in rats, highlighting their potential role in anti-aging interventions. To further elucidate the efficacy and bioavailability of the beneficial bioactive compounds in WBEs for both food and cosmetic applications, more comprehensive in vivo studies are required in the future.
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spelling doaj-art-f7042c8dc5e84a37a6bb020caae8daf22025-08-20T02:12:30ZengMDPI AGFoods2304-81582025-02-0114351510.3390/foods14030515Functional Properties and Potential Applications of Wheat Bran Extracts in Food and Cosmetics: A Review of Antioxidant, Enzyme-Inhibitory, and Anti-Aging BenefitsKaori Kobayashi0Md Suzauddula1Ryan Bender2Cheng Li3Yonghui Li4Xiuzhi Susan Sun5Weiqun Wang6Department of Food Nutrition Dietetics and Health, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USADepartment of Food Nutrition Dietetics and Health, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USADepartment of Food Nutrition Dietetics and Health, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USADepartment of Grain Science and Industry, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USADepartment of Grain Science and Industry, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USADepartment of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USADepartment of Food Nutrition Dietetics and Health, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USAThis review examines existing studies on wheat bran extracts (WBEs) to provide an overview of their functional properties, including antioxidant and enzyme-inhibitory activities, highlighting their potential as natural alternatives for applications in both the food and cosmetic industries. Despite variations in extraction techniques, WBEs consistently demonstrated a significant presence of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity. In the food industry, WBEs are valued for their nutritional richness, including dietary fiber, proteins, and bioactive compounds such as arabinoxylans. These compounds improve food texture, stability, and baking properties. Additionally, WBEs have demonstrated antimicrobial potential, enhanced product quality, and serve as natural preservatives. Furthermore, WBEs exhibit significant inhibitory effects against collagenase and elastase, suggesting promising anti-aging potential. In the cosmetics sector, WBEs have gained attention due to their emulsion stability, skin-whitening properties, antimicrobial effects, and antioxidant capacities. They have the potential to enhance the stability of cosmetic emulsions, improve skin hydration, and inhibit enzymes linked to skin aging, positioning WBEs as potentially natural alternatives to synthetic ingredients in skincare and anti-aging products. Our recent pilot study also supports that WBEs enhance antioxidant defenses against oxidative stress in rats, highlighting their potential role in anti-aging interventions. To further elucidate the efficacy and bioavailability of the beneficial bioactive compounds in WBEs for both food and cosmetic applications, more comprehensive in vivo studies are required in the future.https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/3/515wheat bran extractsantioxidantsenzyme inhibitionanti-aging compoundsfood applicationcosmetic application
spellingShingle Kaori Kobayashi
Md Suzauddula
Ryan Bender
Cheng Li
Yonghui Li
Xiuzhi Susan Sun
Weiqun Wang
Functional Properties and Potential Applications of Wheat Bran Extracts in Food and Cosmetics: A Review of Antioxidant, Enzyme-Inhibitory, and Anti-Aging Benefits
Foods
wheat bran extracts
antioxidants
enzyme inhibition
anti-aging compounds
food application
cosmetic application
title Functional Properties and Potential Applications of Wheat Bran Extracts in Food and Cosmetics: A Review of Antioxidant, Enzyme-Inhibitory, and Anti-Aging Benefits
title_full Functional Properties and Potential Applications of Wheat Bran Extracts in Food and Cosmetics: A Review of Antioxidant, Enzyme-Inhibitory, and Anti-Aging Benefits
title_fullStr Functional Properties and Potential Applications of Wheat Bran Extracts in Food and Cosmetics: A Review of Antioxidant, Enzyme-Inhibitory, and Anti-Aging Benefits
title_full_unstemmed Functional Properties and Potential Applications of Wheat Bran Extracts in Food and Cosmetics: A Review of Antioxidant, Enzyme-Inhibitory, and Anti-Aging Benefits
title_short Functional Properties and Potential Applications of Wheat Bran Extracts in Food and Cosmetics: A Review of Antioxidant, Enzyme-Inhibitory, and Anti-Aging Benefits
title_sort functional properties and potential applications of wheat bran extracts in food and cosmetics a review of antioxidant enzyme inhibitory and anti aging benefits
topic wheat bran extracts
antioxidants
enzyme inhibition
anti-aging compounds
food application
cosmetic application
url https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/3/515
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