Plant-Derived Bioactive Compounds: Emerging Components for Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods
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: 31 January 2026
Special Issue Editors
Interests: food chemistry; biochemistry; bioactive compounds
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: food chemistry; bioactive compounds; digestion and bioavailability of phenolic compounds; functional foods
Interests: food chemistry; safety; food safety; food supplements and functional foods; nutraceuticals; sustainability; novel foods; nano-nutraceuticals; recovery from byproducts of the agri-food area; formulation and assessing of novel nutraceuticals; food contaminants; contaminants; risk assessment; mycotoxins and secondary metabolites; chemistry and food education
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Plant-derived bioactive compounds have received significant attention in recent years for their potential to improve human health and prevent chronic diseases. These compounds, including polyphenols, flavonoids, carotenoids, dietary fiber, alkaloids, and terpenoids, exhibit diverse biological activities such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anticancer properties. Their incorporation into nutraceuticals and functional foods offers a promising strategy to bridging the gap between nutrition and medicine, meeting the growing demand for natural, sustainable, and health-promoting products.
This Special Issue invites submissions of original research and review articles that advance our understanding of plant-derived bioactive compounds as key ingredients in nutraceuticals and functional foods. We welcome studies focused on the discovery, characterization, and application of bioactive molecules, as well as research exploring their mechanisms of action, bioavailability, and stability in food systems. Contributions may also address innovative processing techniques, sustainable methods, encapsulation methods, and formulation strategies to enhance the functionality and delivery of these compounds. Additionally, studies related to the toxicological safety of bioactive compounds with nutraceutical potential will be considered. Submissions should emphasize the practical application of these components in developing effective, safe, and market-ready nutraceutical and functional food products.
By showcasing cutting-edge research, this Special Issue aims to highlight the potential of plant-derived bioactive compounds to shape the future of nutrition and health. We encourage researchers to submit their original findings to contribute to this dynamic and impactful field.
Prof. Dr. Cristiane Casagrande Denardin
Dr. Caroline Sefrin Speroni
Prof. Dr. Antonello Santini
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
- Plant-derived bioactive compounds
- Novel bioactive molecules
- Nutraceuticals
- Functional foods
- Sustainable health products
- Chronic disease prevention
- Antioxidants
- Digestion and bioavailability
- Toxicological safety
- New products development
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