GABA, a non-protein amino acid ubiquitous in food matrices

Abstract

GABA has attracted great attention over the last several decades due to its ubiquity in life. It is an important molecule naturally present in considerable amounts in many feed and food matrices of vegetable and animal origin. GABA occurs naturally in plants, animals and microorganisms, having diverse physiological functions and great potential health benefits. Extensive data demonstrates that GABA content is usually higher in plants than in animals and its concentration is in the range of mg g−1 depending on plant matrix, development stage and postharvest processing conditions. In animals, GABA was found at significantly high levels in the brain and central nervous system and some specific peripheral tissues like livestock muscles in the range of μg g−1. Food items produced by different types of animals, such as eggs, milk or honey, also show remarkable GABA content without any processing steps. A healthy diet following the set of recommendations of WHO national food-based dietary guidelines (FBDG) or/and the Healthy Eating Plate (Harvard) will provide a considerable amount of GABA as a natural nutrient. Additionally, considering its potential health benefits, many efforts are being allocated to developing new technological processes for GABA enhancement in traditional foodstuffs or avoiding losses after processing treatments.