Multifunctional roles of basic amino acids in mitigating thermally induced food toxicants: Mechanisms and future perspectives

Reducing harmful substances produced during food processing has been a global focus of attention. Basic amino acids, widely reported as promising substitutes for NaCl, have demonstrated the ability to inhibit the formation of harmful substances. This review systematically summarizes the inhibitory mechanisms of basic amino acids, which include: competitive inhibition of Maillard precursors and protein binding sites; scavenging reactive dicarbonyl intermediates; direct elimination; pH modulation to alter reaction pathways; chelating metal ions and scavenging free radicals to suppress lipid oxidation. Besides, applicable research methods (such as quantum chemical computation analysis, molecular docking, and lipidomics) are proposed for application in mechanism research to deeply analyze the mechanism by which basic amino acids inhibit harmful substances. A systematic understanding of these mechanisms will provide critical insights for mitigating the formation of hazardous compounds in food processing. • Basic amino acids inhibit thermal-induced food toxicants via multiple pathways • Basic amino acids serve as Sodium chloride substitutes to reduce sodium in products while enhancing quality. • Advanced methods aid in deep analysis of their inhibitory mechanisms.