Nutraceuticals, Functional Foods, and Novel Foods

Papers that qualify for the “Nutraceuticals, Functional Foods, and Novel Foods” Section are expected to be studies focusing mainly on nutritional, functional, and nutraceutical topics. Broadly, the categories include research focusing on the study of nutraceuticals (phytocomplexes of vegetal origin, or pools of active secondary metabolites when originating from an animal matrix) as well as active compounds present in vegetal- and animal-origin matrices (foods, byproduct recovery, waste recovery and reuse with a view to sustainability, botanicals, and natural products), in the form of extracts, pure compounds, or mixtures.

The study of nutraceuticals and functional foods should cover physical and chemical properties, their formulation, identification, and quantification in foods, vegetal matrices, products thereof, waste recovery and possible reuse as supplements/nutraceuticals, food supplements, functional preparations, complex food matrices, natural products, studies in vitro, in cells, and in animals, and the mechanisms of action of food supplements and nutraceuticals in humans, substantiating their beneficial effects on health conditions, including their bioavailability and beneficial impacts on health.

This Section also includes novel foods, which represent an emerging area in the framework of foods and are a challenge for academia, industry, and consumers. Novel foods include foods and ingredients that have not been used significantly prior to a specific date, depending on local food regulations.

Their study and evaluation impact, but not limited to, the following: genetically modified foods, foods new to a particular region of the world, foods processed using a new technology or novel production processes, newly developed and innovative food, newly produced nutrients, extracts from existing food, or food consumed as part of the diet in different parts of the world and which qualify to be used as food and part of the diet for their specific characteristics according to current local and international regulations and safety regulations.

Of utmost importance are the safety and nutritional quality of food and novel foods. It is also essential that authors address the impact of the regulatory aspects of nutraceuticals and functional as well as novel foods.

In conclusion, papers should be innovative in the approach or methods used. The significance of the results for the science community or food industry applications should also trigger the reader’s interest in the comprehensive framework of Foods.