With the continuous increase in the prevalence of chronic metabolic diseases, the role of functional foods in disease prevention and health promotion has gained growing attention. Cereals, as an essential component of the human diet, are rich in various functional constituents such as polyphenols, dietary fibers, and bioactive peptides, which exhibit significant potential in regulating metabolism, maintaining intestinal barrier integrity, exerting antioxidant and antihypertensive effects, and modulating immune function. This review systematically summarizes the major functional components of cereal-based products and their mechanisms of action, with a particular focus on the in vivo functions of cereal-derived polyphenols, dietary fibers, and peptides. In addition, it highlights the role of key processing technologies (e.g., fermentation, enzymatic hydrolysis, extrusion, high-pressure treatment, and nanotechnology) in the release and transformation of functional components, demonstrating that appropriate processing can markedly enhance the bioavailability and health benefits of cereal constituents. Furthermore, the practical applications of functional cereal products in the food industry are discussed, covering staple foods, snack foods, and beverages. This review aims to provide theoretical support and practical reference for the development, application, and mechanistic study of functional cereal-based foods.

Flavor substances endow foods with unique characteristics, which determine the aroma and taste sensory attributes of foods, directly affect food quality and reflect the characteristic quality and quality requirements of foods.Flavor substances play an important role in the research, production and consumption of foods, and deep research, development and utilization of flavor substances are important for the development of the food industry.In this paper, the definition and classification of flavor substances in foods are introduced, the synthesis mechanism of flavor substances through the fatty acid, amino acid, and carbohydrate metabolic pathways are elucidated, and the detection methods of flavor substances and their applications in the food processing industry are reviewed.Finally, the limitations of flavor substance detection are discussed and an outlook on future directions in this field is given.We hope that this review will provide directions for the development and utilization of food flavor substances.