Bioactive Compounds in Food: Sources, Health Benefits and Mechanisms
A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Nutraceuticals, Functional Foods, and Novel Foods".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 5 June 2026 | Viewed by 2
Special Issue Editors
Interests: antioxidants; functional foods; gut health; metabolism; bioactivity
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: functional foods; antioxidants; gut health; chronic disease prevention; immune-metabolic homeostasis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
This Special Issue, “Bioactive Compounds in Food: Sources, Health Benefits and Mechanisms,” provides a comprehensive synthesis of current research on non-essential, health-modulating substances. It systematically explores their diverse dietary sources, including plant-derived polyphenols, animal-based dietary peptides and lipids, and microbial metabolites, while acknowledging how processing and agronomy affect their potency. This issue critically evaluates evidence-based health benefits, such as reducing chronic disease risk, enhancing immune function, and resolving inflammation, while also linking these effects to specific compounds like carotenoids and curcumin. A pivotal focus is to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms, moving beyond correlation to explain causality. For instance, this issue will explore how polyphenols activate longevity-associated sirtuin pathways and how omega-3 fatty acids are precursors to anti-inflammatory eicosanoids. The analysis further acknowledges that efficacy is ultimately determined by bioavailability and host-specific metabolism, including absorption, biotransformation by the gut microbiome, and individual physiology. By bridging the gap between dietary sources and their physiological effects, this Special Issue offers a comprehensive reference essential for nutritionists, scientists, and policymakers. It ultimately underscores the strategic importance of bioactive-rich diets in preventative health and provides a foundational reference for future research and public health guidance.
Dr. Yong Sun
Prof. Dr. Hua Zhang
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. Foods 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 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
- bioactive compounds in food
- health benefits
- bioavailability
- metabolite molecular mechanisms
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
