Morus alba L. Plant: Bioactive Compounds and Potential as a Functional Food Ingredient
Chen C, Mohamad Razali UH, Saikim FH, Mahyudin A, Mohd Noor NQI · Foods · 2021 March 23
DOI 10.3390/foods10030689
Objective
Morus alba L. (M. alba) is a highly adaptable plant that is extensively incorporated in many traditional and Ayurveda medications. Various parts of the plant, such as leaves, fruits, and seeds, possess nutritional and medicinal value. This review reports on the nutrients and bioactive compounds available in M. alba leaves, fruit, and seeds; its nutraceutical properties, functional properties as an ingredient in foodstuffs, and a microencapsulation technique to enhance polyphenol stability. Finally, as scaling up to a bigger production plant is needed to accommodate industrial demand, the study and limitation on an M. alba upscaling process is reviewed.
Conclusions
Taken together, M. alba leaves and fruit have a high content of bioactive compounds such as phenolic acids, flavonoids, flavonols, anthocyanins, macronutrients, vitamins, and volatile aromatic compounds. These compounds contribute significantly to the properties of M. alba in preventing and treating illnesses such as oxidative stress, diabetes, hyperlipidaemia, neurological disorders, microbial infections, and cancer.
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