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Applied Sciences
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Innovations in Natural Products and Functional Foods
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Innovations in Natural Products and Functional Foods

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Science and Technology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2025 | Viewed by 882

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Giulia Grassi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, University of Molise, 86100 Campobasso, Italy
Interests: food science and technology; food processing; food analysis; food quality; food production; processing technology; dairy technology
Dr. Annamaria Perna

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Basilicata, Via dell’Ateneo Lucano, 85100 Potenza, Italy
Interests: food science and technology; food processing; food analysis; food quality; food production; processing technology; dairy technology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue, titled "Innovations in Natural Products and Functional Foods", aims to respond to the demand for healthier and more sustainable products, i.e., foods with a lower environmental impact, more nutritional elements and benefits, and derived from plants that were previously unknown or used to a limited extent. Functional and nutraceutical foods are food products that contribute to improving human and animal health. These products are constantly improving and the scientific community constantly proposes new products and methods for the production of foods that meet the needs of the consumer in order to replace artificial additives that are often dangerous and harmful. These products are at the service of human health thanks to their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-atherosclerotic, antihypertensive, anti-tumor, immunostimulant, and many other properties.
The aims of this Special Issue are as follows: to propose the use of innovative methods and technologies for the production of functional foods; to evaluate the addition of natural components/substances that improve the functional characteristics of foods by using innovative production and packaging processes, while also maintaining the quality of products high; and to identify new perspectives regarding the chemical and functional properties of foods and other natural products.

We look forward to your submissions.

Dr. Giulia Grassi
Dr. Annamaria Perna
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. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2400 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

  • functional and nutraceutical foods
  • chemical properties of food
  • health properties of food
  • modern methods for functional food production
  • animal research

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 1854 KB  
Article
Encapsulated Probiotics in Orange Juice: Survival During Storage, GIT Simulation, and Impact on Co-Inoculated Salmonella enterica Strains
by Stamatia Vitsou-Anastasiou, Olga S. Papadopoulou, Agapi I. Doulgeraki, Aikaterini Frantzi, Ismini-Maria Patsopoulou, Anthoula Argyri, Nikos Chorianopoulos, Chrysoula C. Tassou and George-John Nychas
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(19), 10726; https://doi.org/10.3390/app151910726 (registering DOI) - 5 Oct 2025
Abstract
This study evaluated the survival of encapsulated and free probiotic strains (Lacticaseibacillus paracasei Shirota and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG) in orange juice during storage and in simulated gastrointestinal tract (GIT) conditions and their effect on the survival of Salmonella enterica. Samples were [...] Read more.
This study evaluated the survival of encapsulated and free probiotic strains (Lacticaseibacillus paracasei Shirota and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG) in orange juice during storage and in simulated gastrointestinal tract (GIT) conditions and their effect on the survival of Salmonella enterica. Samples were inoculated with free or encapsulated probiotics in whey protein isolate–gum Arabic matrix in 9.00 log CFU/mL population level and were stored at 4 °C and 12 °C for five days. Additionally, samples were co-inoculated with S. enterica 3-strain cocktail at 1.70 log CFU/mL. Samples were withdrawn daily, and microbiological analysis, pH, and sensory evaluation were conducted. Survival of probiotics and the pathogen were further assessed under GIT simulation conditions. Results demonstrated that both free and encapsulated probiotics maintained high population levels (9.00 log CFU/mL) during storage. During GIT simulation, free probiotic population reduced to 3.80 log CFU/mL, in contrast to the encapsulated cells that remained at 6.80–7.00 log CFU/mL after 2 h of the intestinal phase, confirming the protective role of microencapsulation. S. enterica population survived in control and when co-cultured with encapsulated probiotics until the end of storage in populations of 1.7 ± 0.06 log CFU/mL; however, it was reduced to 0.80 log CFU/mL when co-cultured with free probiotics. Salmonella survived during GIT simulation, in control samples, whereas the pathogen co-cultured with probiotics lead to complete S. enterica elimination. Notably, during the intestinal phase, the encapsulated probiotics effectively eliminated S. enterica, maintaining their viability in high population levels. These results highlight that encapsulating probiotics can improve both the functional and sensory characteristics of probiotic fruit juices while supporting high probiotic viability and thus suppression of pathogenic microorganisms in the intestinal environment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations in Natural Products and Functional Foods)
18 pages, 758 KB  
Article
Bioactive Compounds in Breast Meat of Broiler Chickens Fed with Black Soldier Fly Wholemeal
by Giulia Grassi, Antonio Franco, Carmen Scieuzo, Giambattista Capasso, Giovanni Lomonaco, Rosanna Salvia, Anna Maria Perna and Patrizia Falabella
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(13), 7132; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15137132 - 25 Jun 2025
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Abstract
This study investigated the effects of dietary supplementation with Black Soldier Fly (BSF) wholemeal on the content of bioactive compounds in broiler chicken breast meat. The experiment involved 45 male Ross 308 broiler chickens randomly assigned to three dietary groups: control diet, control [...] Read more.
This study investigated the effects of dietary supplementation with Black Soldier Fly (BSF) wholemeal on the content of bioactive compounds in broiler chicken breast meat. The experiment involved 45 male Ross 308 broiler chickens randomly assigned to three dietary groups: control diet, control diet supplemented with 5% (HI5), or 10% (HI10) black soldier fly (BSF) wholemeal. The diets were administered for 35 days. The study found that higher levels of BSF wholemeal meal inclusion significantly improved creatine and carnosine levels, with increases of 22% and 26%, respectively, in the HI10 group compared to the control group. In addition, HI supplementation improved the fatty acid profile, significantly increasing the levels of EPA, DHA, and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), while reducing the total PUFA and ALA levels. Antioxidant activity, measured using the FRAP and ABTS assays, was also significantly higher in the BSF-fed groups, particularly in the HI10 group. These results suggest that BSF wholemeal flour can improve the functional and nutritional qualities of chicken meat, thereby enhancing its potential as a sustainable ingredient in poultry diets. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations in Natural Products and Functional Foods)
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