The application of oleanolic acid in food is mainly reflected in the following aspects:
1. As functional food ingredients
Oleanolic acid has been added to some functional foods due to its various pharmacological effects, such as liver protection, anti-cancer, lipid-lowering and glucose-lowering. These foods are intended to provide consumers with additional health benefits and meet specific health needs. For example, some functional foods targeting liver health, lipid regulation or blood glucose control may contain oleanolic acid.
2. Food Additives and Nutraceuticals
Oleanolic acid is also often used as a food additive or as a component of nutraceuticals. In the field of nutraceuticals, oleanolic acid is favoured for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and metabolism-boosting effects. It can help improve skin condition, reduce skin pigmentation, improve skin roughness, etc. It also has health effects such as relieving fatigue, regulating blood lipids and lowering blood sugar. Therefore, some health product manufacturers will add it to their products to enhance the health function of the products.
3. The development and utilization of food raw materials
Oleanolic acid also exists in some common food ingredients, such as olives, chasteberry, grapes and apples. These food ingredients themselves have rich nutritional value and health benefits, and oleanolic acid as one of the active ingredients, further increasing the attractiveness of these food ingredients. Therefore, these oleanolic acid-containing food ingredients can be utilised in food development to produce a variety of healthy foods, such as beverages, jams and preserved fruits.