Resveratrol in food systems: challenges, innovations, and health potential

The integration of resveratrol, a naturally occurring, health promoting polyphenolic stilbene, into food systems poses a challenge due to its low water solubility, chemical instability, poor bioavailability, and bitter taste. To address these limitations, recent studies have focused on incorporating resveratrol into a range of food matrices such as wine, bakery, dairy, and meat products, using encapsulation techniques designed to enhance its stability during processing, maintain its therapeutic effects, and preserve desirable sensory attributes. This review provides a comprehensive overview of resveratrol’s plant sources, chemical characteristics, bioavailability, and health-promoting mechanisms while critically examining recent innovations in food-grade delivery systems, the functional roles of resveratrol in fortified food products and the associated barriers. Emphasis is placed on formulation challenges, matrix-specific applications, and future directions to improve consumer-relevant health benefits. • Resveratrol health benefits have been extensively tested • Physico-chemical properties of resveratrol limited its use in foods • Encapsulation enhances resveratrol stability in food processing • Resveratrol-rich ingredients can be used to produce functional foods • Food fortification with resveratrol allows obtaining health promoting foods