An updated Review on Flaxseed Mucilage (Linum usitatissimum) Extraction Methods and its Food Applications

Flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum) has become well recognised as a health food due to its richness in various bioactive substances & nutrients such as lignans, fibres, oil, mucilage, fatty acids, carbohydrates, proteins, micronutrients, and peptides. These elements endow flaxseed with a wide range of beneficial properties that allow it to be used as nutritional supplements or as ingredients in functional beverages and in the food industry. In this review, the nutritional value of flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum) along with its mucilage extraction methods and food applications are described. A comprehensive analysis of the literature search was conducted. A number of databases have been searched using the common terms "Flaxseed", "Lignans", "Linum usitatissimum", "Phytochemicals", "Food", and "Functional claim" using PubMed and Google Scholar as search engines. The content was based on information from publications like Springer nature, Hindawi, Elsevier, MDPI, Bentham science, Taylor and Francis, etc. In this review paper we have done an exhaustive analysis of more than 80 review articles, research papers, comprehensive reviews, and case studies published between 1984-2023. Flaxseed has a nutritional makeup that can be good for your health. Many people remain unaware of the possible numerous medical advantages of flaxseed and its uses in food preparation. Flaxseed is the finest food source for lignans and linolenic acid. The potential for it to serve as a source of soluble fibre, anti-oxidants, and protein of excellent quality is also very high. As a result, it is suggested to use flaxseed as a dietary supplement in whole or ground form. One of the possible oil seeds is flax, which is rich in nutrients and has a number of health advantages. It's interesting to note that the fibre, lignans, & omega-3 fatty acids found in flax seeds are mostly responsible for their health advantages. Due to its low saturated fat, high Poly-unsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), and phytosterol content, consumption of this oil seed could reduce total as well as Low-density-lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. Flax seeds are processed to make their nutrients more bioavailable.