Abstract
Furan fatty acids (FuFAs) are a group of fatty acids containing a furan ring on their aliphatic chain. They are present in small quantities in plants, microorganisms, and animals. The biosynthesis of FuFAs in plants and microorganisms is not fully described and their presence in animals is thought to be exclusively due to food with a high concentration in seafood products, which are themselves consumed by humans. The presence of the furan cycle makes FuFAs highly reactive with reactive oxygen derivatives. The three major biological effects of FuFAs are antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory. More specific studies on health effects have been conducted in recent years: FuFAs and their catabolic degradation products (e.g. CMPF) may influence lipid metabolism, insulin resistance and diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and neurodegenerative diseases. FuFAs could thus be biomarkers of exposure to a healthy, seafood-rich diet, and also bioactive compounds in our diet capable of modulating signalling pathways with potential beneficial effects against metabolic disorders associated with a Western-style diet.