Alk(en)ylresorcinols, natural non-isoprenoid phenolic lipids, are increasingly found in various plants, fungi, and bacteria, but in commonly consumed plants, they are primarily located in mango peel and certain cereals like wheat, rye, and barley. These compounds exhibit a wide range of biological activities both in vitro and in vivo. However, their adverse effects, such as contact allergenicity from mango, contrast with their proposed health benefits and potential as biomarkers for whole grain intake in cereals, complicating the understanding of their biological significance. Despite the dermatological relevance of mango peel alk(en)ylresorcinols, research on their structure, quantity, and occurrence in fruit products is surprisingly limited, and their behavior during processing remains largely unknown. Additionally, mango and other plant parts have been traditionally used in medicine for various ailments, suggesting that alk(en)ylresorcinols may play a role in these therapeutic effects. This study focuses on the chemical and biological characterization of mango-derived alk(en)ylresorcinols. While cereals are a key dietary source, detailed compositional data is still lacking, which is essential from a nutritional perspective. Furthermore, cereal alkylresorcinols could serve as marker compounds for verifying the authenticity of whole grain durum wheat flour and pasta, helping to identify fraudulent mixtures with less expensive
