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Advances in Bioactive Peptides: Innovations in Food Processing, Functional Foods,...
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Advances in Bioactive Peptides: Innovations in Food Processing, Functional Foods, and Health

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: 30 June 2025 | Viewed by 968

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Mohammad Zarei

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Virginia Seafood Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Virginia Tech, Hampton, VA 23669, USA
Interests: alternative proteins; food chemistry; food bioactives; protein chemistry; protein functionality; food processing; protein hydrolysate; bioactive peptides; food sustainability; health benefits of food-derived proteins and peptides
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Bioactive peptides have emerged as an exciting field of research and innovation, with significant implications for food science, nutrition, and health. Derived from food proteins, these peptides are known for their diverse health-promoting bioactivities, including antihypertensive, antidiabetic, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and immunomodulatory effects. Understanding the mechanisms of action associated with these bioactivities is crucial for advancing the development of functional foods, nutraceuticals, and therapeutic applications.

This Special Issue, entitled "Advances in Bioactive Peptides: Innovations in Food Processing, Functional Foods, and Health", aims to highlight recent advances in the extraction, characterization, and application of bioactive peptides. We will particularly focus on exploring the structure–activity relationships, the molecular mechanisms of action, and the functional bioactivities of peptides, as well as their integration into food processing and product development.

We welcome original research articles, reviews, and perspectives whose scope includes, but not limited to, the following topics:

  • Innovative techniques for the extraction, purification, and characterization of bioactive peptides.
  • Mechanisms of action and structure–activity relationships of bioactive peptides.
  • Bioactive peptide applications in functional foods, nutraceuticals, and therapeutic formulations.
  • Molecular simulation and docking studies to understand peptide–bioactivity interactions.
  • Advances in food processing technologies to optimize peptide activity and stability.
  • The bioactivities of peptides in relation to chronic and non-chronic diseases, including hypertension, diabetes, obesity, cancer, and cardiovascular disorders.
  • The sustainability of bioactive peptide production and utilization.

This Special Issue aims to provide a platform for researchers and practitioners to discuss the latest advancements and foster new collaborations in this dynamic field. We look forward to receiving your contributions to this Special Issue.

Dr. Mohammad Zarei
Guest Editor

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 peptides
  • food-derived peptides
  • peptide mechanisms of action
  • molecular docking
  • functional foods
  • peptide bioactivities
  • food processing innovations
  • antihypertensive peptides
  • antidiabetic peptides
  • food sustainability

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

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27 pages, 9709 KiB  
Article
Mung Bean Peptides Alleviate Dextran-Sulfate-Sodium-Induced Colitis Symptoms in Mice by Protecting the Intestinal Mechanical Barrier and Regulating Gut Microbiota
by Chong Xu, Jingjing Diao, Yuchao Feng, Shu Zhang, Yanan Sheng and Changyuan Wang
Foods 2025, 14(8), 1363; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14081363 - 15 Apr 2025
Viewed by 354
Abstract
Ulcerative colitis (UC), an idiopathic and recurrent ailment, substantially influences a patient’s health. Mung bean peptides (MBPs) are bioactive substances derived from mung bean protein that possess notable anti-inflammatory properties. However, their efficacy and underlying mechanisms in UC treatment remain unclear. In this [...] Read more.
Ulcerative colitis (UC), an idiopathic and recurrent ailment, substantially influences a patient’s health. Mung bean peptides (MBPs) are bioactive substances derived from mung bean protein that possess notable anti-inflammatory properties. However, their efficacy and underlying mechanisms in UC treatment remain unclear. In this study, the structural characteristics of MBPs were examined by determining various parameters, such as amino acid composition, molecular weight distribution, and peptide sequences, thereby structurally demonstrating their anti-inflammatory potential. The therapeutic effectiveness of MBPs in UC treatment was evaluated by assessing its influence on colon length, histological damage to colonic tissue, and disease activity index of mice suffering from colitis induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS). Additionally, the study explored the potential mechanism of action of MBPs in UC by analyzing the intestinal microbiota, inflammatory cytokines in serum, and tight junction (TJ) proteins in the colon tissue of mice. The results revealed that MBPs significantly increased colon length, reduced colonic tissue damage, and decreased the disease activity index in mice with UC. MBPs restored intestinal barrier function by upregulating the expression of ZO-1 and claudin-1 proteins within the colonic tissue of mice with DSS-induced colitis, thereby treating UC. MBPs exerted anti-inflammatory effects by downregulating the amplification of inflammatory cytokines in the serum, improving the gut microbiota structure in mice with colitis, and regulating immune-related signaling pathways. Therefore, there is an experimental basis for the potential use of MBPs as adjunctive therapy in UC. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Bioactive Peptides: Innovations in Food Processing, Functional Foods, and Health)
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23 pages, 6918 KiB  
Article
Preventive and Therapeutic Effects of Sericin-Derived Oligopeptides (SDOs) from Yellow Silk Cocoons on Blood Pressure Lowering in L-NAME-Induced Hypertensive Rats
by Chainarong Tocharus and Manote Sutheerawattananonda
Foods 2025, 14(7), 1256; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14071256 - 3 Apr 2025
Viewed by 283
Abstract
Our previous research has shown that SDOs derived from yellow silk cocoons have hypotensive effects on rats in chronic toxicity testing. This study investigated the potential preventative and therapeutic benefits of SDOs on hypertensive rats induced by L-NAME. The experiment involved nine rat [...] Read more.
Our previous research has shown that SDOs derived from yellow silk cocoons have hypotensive effects on rats in chronic toxicity testing. This study investigated the potential preventative and therapeutic benefits of SDOs on hypertensive rats induced by L-NAME. The experiment involved nine rat groups: (1) normal control, (2) normal + 200 mg kg−1 BW SDOs, (3) hypertensive (HT) control, (4) HT + 50 mg kg−1 BW SDOs, (5) HT + 100 mg kg−1 BW SDOs, (6) HT + 200 mg kg−1 BW SDOs, (7) HT + enalapril (Ena), (8) HT + soy protein isolate (SPI), and (9) HT + bovine serum albumin (BSA). In the preventative approach, rats received 40 mg kg−1 of L-NAME with the studied substances during the four-week investigation. SDOs given at doses of 100 and 200 mg kg−1 BW demonstrated a significant decrease in systolic blood pressure (SBP) without affecting heart rate (HR). In therapeutic studies, 40 mg kg−1 BW of L-NAME increased SBP in the experimental groups over the first four weeks, resulting in mean SBP values above 150 mmHg. Administering 100 and 200 mg kg−1 BW SDOs and 100 mg kg−1 BW SPI significantly reduced SBP. However, SDOs at 200 mg kg−1 BW exhibited SBP closer to the enalapril group. In functional vascular tests, rats given SDOs at a dose of 200 mg kg−1 BW had the highest relaxation and lowest contraction percentages, like the normal control groups. The research found that SDOs may inhibit and manage hypertension in both healthy and hypertensive rats by safeguarding endothelial cells. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Bioactive Peptides: Innovations in Food Processing, Functional Foods, and Health)
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