Rosmarinic acid - From bench to valuable applications in food industry

Rosmarinic acid (RA) is widely distributed in plant species of Lamiaceae and Boraginaceae families, among others. Structurally RA is an ester of caffeic acid and 3,4-dihydroxyphenyllactic acid with well explored biosynthetic pathway, physiological functions in plants and (potential) biological activities. Great number of herbal preparations and food supplements, containing RA, are marketed with claims for beneficial health effects. Furthermore, due to the inhibition of lipid peroxidation and bacterial growth, RA is approved for use as natural antioxidant and/or preservative in food industry. The present review will explore the contemporary biotechnological approaches for RA mass-production and will attempt to summarize its main biological properties based on recent studies. Future applications in food industry and potential functional food development will be proposed. Implications for technological and chemical modification of RA aiming to improve its bioavailability will be presented. The advances in biotechnological production of RA provide effective and "green" approach which worth further implementation to a large-scale application. Numerous in vitro and in vivo studies confirm many of the claimed health-promoting effects of RA, as well as, its value as food additive. Despite the recent improvements in RA stability and bioavailability, its use in food products should be thoroughly evaluated until a tight balance between safety and efficiency is set.