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Phenolic Antioxidants—2nd Edition

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A special issue of Antioxidants (ISSN 2076-3921). This special issue belongs to the section "Extraction and Industrial Applications of Antioxidants".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2026 | Viewed by 3330

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Adriano Costa de Camargo

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Guest Editor

Nutrition and Food Technology Institute, University of Chile, Santiago 7830490, Chile
Interests: plants
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Fereidoon Shahidi

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Guest Editor

Department of Biochemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL A1C 5S7, Canada
Interests: antioxidants; radical scavenging; phenolic and polyphenolic compounds; oxidation control; disease risk reduction; bioactivity; health benefits; action mechanisms
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In view of the great response we received to the previous Special Issue “Phenolic Antioxidants”, we have decided to revisit this topic.

Phenolic compounds include tocopherols and tocotrienols, collectively known as tocols, with vitamin E activity, as well as secondary plant metabolites (i.e., phenolic acids, flavonoids, stilbenes, coumarins, lignans, and tannins). Phenolic compounds protect plants and plant foods from biotic and abiotic oxidative stress as well as herbivory. This property remains important therefore until the post-harvest time. From the food processing standpoint, lipid oxidation is the most important deterioration problem faced by the food industry. The consequences of lipid oxidation are noted mainly by the negative changes found in terms of nutritional quality, food safety, and the sensory characteristics of food. Therefore, natural antioxidants are also crucial ingredients employed by the food industry to decrease and/or prevent lipid oxidation. However, phenolic compounds are not only good for plant health, but also engender a myriad of other bioactivities. The health benefits of phenolic compounds, in vitro and in vivo, are supported by epidemiological, animal, and human studies. Phenolics may act as free radical terminators, metal chelators, but their antioxidant properties are also important to overcoming inflammatory responses caused by different factors including exposure to xenobiotics and pathogenic microorganisms.

This Special Issue invites contributions addressing the antioxidant properties of phenolic compounds in plants, plant foods, and the by-products thereof as well as their metabolites and derivatives. Original articles or review papers focusing on phenolic antioxidants and their impact on agronomical/plant science, food science, nutrition and health will be considered.

Dr. Adriano Costa de Camargo
Prof. Dr. Fereidoon Shahidi
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Antioxidants is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

phenolics
phenolic compounds
antioxidants

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Research

28 pages, 2826 KB

Open AccessArticle

Microencapsulation Enhances the Biological Potential, Bioaccessibility, and Intracellular Oxidative Status of Guava Phenolic Extracts

by Renan Danielski, Sarika Kumari, Pavan Kumar Kakumani and Fereidoon Shahidi

Antioxidants 2025, 14(11), 1334; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox14111334 - 5 Nov 2025

Abstract

Guava fruit is widely consumed in tropical countries and beyond. The phenolic fraction of guava pulp and processing waste (a single fraction containing seeds, skins, and pulp residues) have been reported to carry in vitro biological activities, acting on biomarkers of metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and obesity (enzymatic inhibition of α-glucosidase and pancreatic lipase), atherosclerosis (mitigation of LDL-cholesterol oxidation), and mutagenesis (suppression of DNA strand scission). However, such bioactivities may be compromised by the exposure of guava phenolics to the harsh conditions found along the human gastrointestinal (GI) tract. To overcome this limitation, guava phenolic extracts were microencapsulated with maltodextrin through freeze-drying. The effect of crude and microencapsulated extracts on biomarkers of metabolic diseases was compared before and after in vitro simulated GI digestion. Moreover, guava waste extracts were tested for their ability to interfere with the intracellular redox status of Caco-2 and HeLa cells incubated with free radicals. Microencapsulation considerably improved the bioaccessibility of guava phenolics across digestion stages, which reflected on the enhancement of most bioactivities measured, with the exception of pancreatic lipase inhibition (both pulp and waste extracts) and LDL oxidative protection (pulp extract). Meanwhile, microencapsulation accentuated intracellular antioxidant activity in Caco-2 cells induced by guava waste extract whereas a prooxidant effect in HeLa cells was intensified. This highlights the selectivity of the same extract toward different cell lines. Overall, microencapsulation was demonstrated as a promising tool for protecting and even enhancing the nutraceutical power of guava phenolics, reinforcing their relevance in the development of functional foods and nutraceutical products. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phenolic Antioxidants—2nd Edition)

28 pages, 2335 KB

Open AccessArticle

Exploratory Analysis of Phenolic Profiles and Antioxidant Capacity in Selected Romanian Monofloral Honeys: Influence of Botanical Origin and Acquisition Source

by Elena Daniela Bratosin, Delia Mirela Tit, Anamaria Lavinia Purza, Manuela Bianca Pasca, Gabriela S. Bungau, Ruxandra Cristina Marin, Andrei Flavius Radu and Daniela Gitea

Antioxidants 2025, 14(10), 1248; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox14101248 - 17 Oct 2025

Viewed by 408

Abstract

This exploratory study assessed the influence of botanical origin and acquisition source on the phenolic profile and antioxidant properties of selected Romanian monofloral honeys. Eight samples were analyzed, representing five floral types: acacia, linden, rapeseed, lavender, and thyme. For acacia, linden, and rapeseed, both commercial and locally sourced honeys were included. Analytical techniques included total phenolic content (TPC, Folin–Ciocalteu), antioxidant assays (DPPH, ABTS, FRAP), color intensity (ABS₄₅₀), and phenolic compound profiling via HPLC-DAD-ESI⁺. TPC ranged from 179.26 ± 23.57 to 586.67 ± 18.33 mg GAE/100 g, with thyme and linden honeys presenting the highest values. Seventeen phenolic compounds were tentatively identified; gallic acid was predominant in thyme honey (127 mg/100 g), and linden honey contained high levels of rutin (70 mg/100 g) and galangin-glucoside. Antioxidant capacity varied notably by floral origin, with thyme and linden outperforming acacia samples. Significant correlations were found between total phenolics and ABTS (r = 0.86), and between ABS₄₅₀ and FRAP (r = 0.86). DPPH kinetics followed zero-order behavior (R² > 0.98). Principal component analysis (PC1 + PC2 = 88%) enabled preliminary separation by botanical origin. While based on a limited sample set, findings support the relevance of combining chromatographic, kinetic, and multivariate tools for exploratory honey characterization. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phenolic Antioxidants—2nd Edition)

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19 pages, 1737 KB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Microparticle Crystallinity and Food Matrix on the Release Profile and Antioxidant Activity of Encapsulated Gallic and Ellagic Acids During Simulated In Vitro Intestinal Digestion

by Yesica Vilcanqui, Alejandra Quintriqueo-Cid, Patricio Romero-Hasler, Begoña Giménez, Eduardo Soto-Bustamante and Paz Robert

Antioxidants 2025, 14(10), 1211; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox14101211 - 7 Oct 2025

Viewed by 584

Abstract

The development of phenolic-based functional food ingredients is of growing interest due to their beneficial effects on human health. This study investigated the combined influence of microparticle physical state, phenolic compound type (gallic acid, GA; and ellagic acid, EA), and model food matrix on the release profile, bioaccessibility, and antioxidant activity of GA and EA during in vitro gastrointestinal digestion. GA and EA were encapsulated with inulin (In) by spray-drying. By varying formulation and operational conditions, both semicrystalline (GA-InSc, EA-InSc) and amorphous (GA-InA, EA-InA) microparticles were obtained. Microparticles were characterized for crystallinity, encapsulation efficiency, particle size, morphology, and release profile during in vitro simulated gastrointestinal digestion following the INFOGEST method. The physical state of microparticles and type of phenolic compound critically influenced release profile, bioaccessibility, and antioxidant activity during digestion. GA, being more water-soluble, was rapidly released, reaching nearly 100% in the gastric phase, whereas EA exhibited limited gastric release and higher intestinal release, particularly in EA-InSc. Incorporation into different food matrices further modulated these effects; carbohydrate- and blend-based matrices improved phenolic release and antioxidant activity for both compounds. These findings highlight the importance of microparticle formulation, phenolic characteristics, and matrix interactions in designing functional food ingredients with optimized health benefits. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phenolic Antioxidants—2nd Edition)

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20 pages, 2418 KB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Extraction Parameters on the Gallic Acid Content and Antioxidant Properties of Palo Prieto (Lysiloma divaricata) Fractions and Their Identification via UPLC-MS/MS

by Daniela Gómez-Espinoza, J. A. Gonzalez-Calderon, Enrique Delgado-Alvarado, Agustín L. Herrera-May, Leandro García-González, César Leobardo Aguirre-Mancilla, Ricardo Rivera-Vázquez and Ma. Cristina Irma Pérez-Pérez

Antioxidants 2025, 14(9), 1074; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox14091074 - 1 Sep 2025

Viewed by 833

Abstract

The palo prieto (Lysiloma divaricata) is a tree with grayish bark and pinnate leaves that is native to Mexico. This tree can reach heights close to 15 m and is a source of phytochemical compounds, including polyphenols. The optimized extraction method is important for preserving phytochemical compounds, particularly gallic acid. In general, solid-liquid extraction methods are the most commonly used methods for obtaining phytochemical compounds from Lysiloma divaricata. Herein, we report the results of a complex experimental design in which different parts of the plant (leaf, stem, and fruit) were used to investigate their antioxidant activities and gallic acid contents. In this design, we included variations in the type of solvent, time, and temperature. This method yields an extract rich in phytochemical components that may exhibit significant antioxidant activity, making it suitable for isolating natural antioxidant compounds. For these compounds, bromatological analysis, quantification of phenolic content, and identification and quantification of phytochemical compounds via UPLC-MS/MS identified 27 compounds, with gallic epicatechin, catechin, kaemferol-3-glucoside, procyanidin B1, and gallic acid as the major compounds. For the quantification of gallic acid by HPLC, the highest concentration of gallic acid was detected in the water-leaf-40 °C-90 min fraction. In addition, antioxidant activity via 1,1-diphenyl-1,2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) was studied, and color measurements were performed. Additionally, the antioxidant activity of the fruit samples was evaluated via the DPPH method with an ethanol/water ratio of 30:70 % v/v at 60 °C for 60 min, which resulted in the highest percentage of inhibition. There was no significant difference in the antioxidant activity when ABTS was used between the samples. For the antioxidant activity determined via FRAP, the leaf sample exhibited the most significant activity when ethanol was used as the solvent at 50 °C for 90 min, with a value of 195,861 ± 44.20 µM eq Trolox/g DM. The phenol compounds of Lysiloma divaricata are promising sources of natural antimicrobials and antioxidants for potential applications in food packaging. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phenolic Antioxidants—2nd Edition)

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25 pages, 2230 KB

Open AccessArticle

Combining Abiotic Stresses as a Low-Cost Strategy for Increasing the Phenolic Content in Apple Agro-Industrial By-Products

by Esteban Villamil-Galindo, Daniel A. Jacobo-Velázquez and Andrea Marcela Piagentini

Antioxidants 2025, 14(3), 287; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox14030287 - 27 Feb 2025

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 922

Abstract

The circular economy approach offers innovative solutions for valorizing apple by-products through biofortification strategies transforming waste into high-value products and reducing environmental impact. This study evaluates innovative solutions for valorizing Granny Smith apple peel (RM) through biofortification in phenolic compounds using individual or combined abiotic stresses, like wounding stress and ultraviolet A (UVA) radiation. The effects of cutting type (Ct) [whole (C1), 5 mm (C2), 1.5 mm (C3)], storage temperature (ST) [20, 15, 10, 5 °C], and storage time (TM) [0, 12, 24, 48, 72 h] on phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity, total phenolic content (TPC), and phenolic profiles were studied first. The results show that higher stress intensity (C3, 15 °C, 48 h) significantly enhanced secondary metabolism, leading to notable increases in PAL activity (1201%), PPO activity (308%), TPC levels (108–118%), and Procyanidin B2 (PACB2, 22%), the predominant phenolic compound. These changes were critical for improving the bioactive properties and antioxidant potential of RM. The second assay combined wounding stress (same levels of Ct and ST of previous assay, TM: 56 h) with UVA radiation (UVA-D) [0, 86.4 KJ m⁻², 172.8 KJ m⁻²], determining the optimal conditions (C3, UVA-D 66 KJ m⁻², 17 °C) for maximizing PAL activity (0.12–0.20 ΔA h⁻¹ mg⁻¹), and TPC (3.3 g GAE kg⁻¹). This study demonstrates the potential of combined abiotic stresses as cost-effective scalable tools to biofortify RM, promoting the sustainable and value-added utilization of agro-industrial by-products. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phenolic Antioxidants—2nd Edition)

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