Plant phenolics as secondary metabolites are key to a plant's defense response against biotic and abiotic stresses. These phytochemicals are also increasingly relevant to food preservation and human health in terms of chronic disease management. Phenolic compounds from different food crops with different chemical structures and biological functions have the potential to act as natural antioxidants. Plant-based human foods are rich with these phenolic phytochemicals and can be used effectively for food preservation and bioactive enrichments through metabolic stimulation of key pathways. Phenolic metabolites protect against microbial degradation of plant-based foods during postharvest storage. Phenolics not only provide biotic protection but also help to counter biochemical and physical food deteriorations and to enhance shelf life and nutritional quality. This review summarizes the role of metabolically stimulated plant phenolics in food preservation and their impact on the prevention of oxidative stress-induced human diseases.

中文翻译：

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代谢刺激植物酚类物质以保护食品和健康。

植物酚类作为次生代谢产物是植物抵抗生物和非生物胁迫的防御反应的关键。就慢性疾病管理而言，这些植物化学物质也越来越与食品保存和人类健康相关。来自不同粮食作物的具有不同化学结构和生物学功能的酚类化合物有潜力充当天然抗氧化剂。植物性人类食品富含这些酚类植物化学物质，可通过关键途径的代谢刺激有效地用于食品保存和生物活性富集。酚类代谢物在收获后的储存过程中可防止植物性食品的微生物降解。酚类不仅提供生物保护，而且还有助于抵抗生化和物理食品的变质并延长保质期和营养品质。这篇综述总结了代谢刺激植物酚类在食品保存中的作用及其对预防氧化应激诱导的人类疾病的影响。