Phytic acid: a reservoir of phosphorus in seeds plays a dynamic role in plant and animal metabolism

• Published in: Phytochemistry reviews Vol. 22; no. 5; pp. 1281 - 1304
• Main Authors: Kumar, Awadhesh, Dash, Goutam Kumar, Sahoo, Soumya Kumar, Lal, Milan Kumar, Sahoo, Upasana, Sah, Rameswar Prasad, Ngangkham, Umakanta, Kumar, Sudhir, Baig, Mirza Jaynul, Sharma, Srigopal, Lenka, Sangram Keshari
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.10.2023; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Animal metabolism; animals; Antinutrition factors; antinutritional factors; antioxidant activity; Bioavailability; Biochemistry; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biosynthesis; Calculi; Cereals; Chelation; Chemistry/Food Science; diabetes; Diabetes mellitus; Food availability; Food industry; Food processing; Food processing industry; Germination; Health risks; heart health; Kidneys; Legumes; Life Sciences; Malignancy; Nephrolithiasis; Organic Chemistry; Phosphorus; Physiological effects; Phytic acid; Plant Genetics and Genomics; Plant Sciences; Raw materials; renal calculi; risk; Seeds; value added; Phosphorus; Mineral bioavailability; Phytic acid; Phosphorus transporters
• ISSN: 1568-7767; 1572-980X
• DOI: 10.1007/s11101-023-09868-x

In cereals and legumes, phytic acid (PA) is the principal phosphorus reserve that serves the biosynthetic and nutritional demands of growing tissues during germination. Because of strong antioxidant activity and ability to chelate mineral ions, it provides several health and physiological benefits. Phytic acid is widely regarded as an anti-nutritional factor as it can bind minerals and proteins, thus decreasing their bioavailability. However, its chelating property is likely to provide several health benefits, including lowering the risk of diabetes and some malignancies, improving heart health and checking kidney stone formation. Furthermore, recent research has revealed that PA is effective against foodborne bacteria. These beneficial properties of PA open up the possibility of value-added applications in several new areas. Due to its various proven properties, PA has drawn more attention as an anti-nutrient than a beneficial compound. Nevertheless, the available food processing techniques for raw material preparation can be used to reduce the PA concentration in foods to mitigate its anti-nutritional effects. The resulting low PA products may find newer applications in the food industry. This paper aims to provide a general overview of phosphorus transport to different plant organs, biosynthesis of PA and its beneficial and anti-nutritional effects and a description of dephytinization methods. Graphical abstract