Processing Methods of Citrus Medicinal and Edible Homologous Herbs: From Traditional Paozhi to Modern Technologies and Their Effects

Citrus plants are vital, globally distributed medicinal and edible homologous resources with a long application history in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and modern functional food industries. Representative Citrus-derived medicinal and edible herbs including Citri reticulatae pericarpium (Chenpi), Citri grandis exocarpium (Huajuhong), Aurantii fructus immaturus (Zhishi), Aurantii fructus (Zhiqiao), and Citri reticulatae semen (Juhe) possess rich bioactive components and diverse pharmacological activities, laying a solid material foundation for their dual food and medicinal applications. This review systematically summarizes the traditional empirical processing and modern innovative processing technologies of typical Citrus medicinal and edible homologous herbs, and elaborates the dynamic variations in core phytochemicals induced by different processing methods and parameters. Combined with modern phytochemistry and pharmacological research, the core chemical transformation mechanisms during processing, including hydrolysis, oxidation, polymerization and isomerization, are clarified, scientifically interpreting the TCM processing theory of “processing modulates herbal efficacy”. Meanwhile, the current research limitations of Citrus processing research have been analyzed. On this basis, future research directions are proposed, aiming to provide systematic theoretical support and practical technical guidance for the standardized processing, quality optimization, rational utilization and industrial upgrading of Citrus medicinal and edible homologous resources, and promote the cross-integrated development of TCM processing theory and modern food science and pharmacology.