Food Phenolics, Pros and Cons: A Review

Phenolic compounds like simple phenols, flavonoids, and phenolic acids are commonly in foods of plant origin. Several studies, including animal and epidemiological investigations, have demonstrated that phenolic compounds in foods possess positive attributes such as anticarcinogenesis, antioxidant potential, antiviral activity, antimicrobial activity, and antimutagenic activity. However, other studies have shown that the same phenolics have negative attributes such as carcinogenic activity and antinutritional activity, as well as imparting negative attributes to foods. This review summarizes the information about food phenolics and presents the most current knowledge with respect to its role in human health, food attributes, and toxicity among others.