THE INFLUENCE AND THE ROLE OF POLYPHENOLS ON THE SENSORY AND ORGANOLEPTIC ASPECTS OF FOOD

A vast majority of food products found on the market contains specific, potentially toxic substances, whether those substances appeared as a result of food contamination by an exterior factor or during the production. As an examples of food contamination we can consider bacterial and fungal toxins, where the latter (mycotoxins) include some evidently mutagenic or genotoxic compounds, i.e. potentially cancerogenic compounds. Mycotoxins may enter the food chain via direct or indirect contamination. In direct contamination, the food products represent the basis for the development of toxigenic moulds (almoust all food products may represent a basis for the mould development during their production, processing and storage). Bioactive plant polyphenols are relatively well-known for their antioxidant, anti-mutagenic, anticancerogenous, anti-inflamatory, antiangiogenic, antiulcer and antimicrobial characteristics. Many plant ingredients and extracts are reported to prevent the mould development, as well as the accumulation of mycotoxins in food. In addition to their multiple biological effects, extracts containing a large amount of phenols are important for the food industry, since they decelerate the oxidative degradation of lipids, thus enhancing the quality and nutritive value of food. On the other hand, plant polyphenols affect the sensory and organoleptic aspects of food, the functional and nutritive value of the proteins contained in food, as well as its texture