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Foods
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Fruits and Vegetables: Physicochemical Properties, Product Development and Health Benefits
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Fruits and Vegetables: Physicochemical Properties, Product Development and Health Benefits

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Foods".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (24 November 2025) | Viewed by 7769

Editor

Prof. Dr. Karla A. Batista

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia de Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
Interests: fruit and vegetables; legumes; antioxidants; peptides; health; food nutrition; bioactive compounds; nanotechnology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Fruits and vegetables offer more than just a reliable energy boost and a source of essential micronutrients. They contain biologically active phytochemicals that contribute to maintaining human health, preventing several diseases such as heart diseases, digestive problems, aging-related diseases, metabolic diseases such as diabetes and obesity, and some types of cancer. It is estimated that there are at least nine different families of fruits and vegetables, each with hypothetically hundreds of different bioactive compounds that could offer significant  health benefits. Consequently, this Special Issue invites original papers, reviews, and mini-reviews focused on the “Fruits and Vegetables: Physicochemical Properties, Product Development and Health Benefits” of fruits and vegetables. Topics of interest include, but not limited to, the following: (1) the characterization of the biological activities of fruits and vegetable phytochemicals; (2) the use of phytochemicals for developing bioactive food products and/or packaging; and (3) the evaluation of the bioactive potential of phytochemicals to prevent and/or treat metabolic and non-metabolic diseases.

Prof. Dr. Karla A. Batista
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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-anonymized 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

  • phytochemicals
  • food products
  • healthy food
  • bioactive packaging
  • food biotechnology

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 284 KB  
Article
Nutritional Properties of Edible Flowers from Five Pumpkin (Cucurbita sp.) Species
by Małgorzata Stryjecka, Monika Jaroszuk-Sierocińska, Anna Kiełtyka-Dadasiewicz, Barbara Krochmal-Marczak and Tomasz Cebulak
Foods 2026, 15(2), 219; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15020219 - 8 Jan 2026
Viewed by 1237
Abstract
Edible pumpkin flowers represent a promising but still underutilized source of nutrients and bioactive compounds. Despite their traditional culinary use in various regions of the world, comprehensive studies comparing the nutritional and chemical composition of flowers from different Cucurbita species are limited. This [...] Read more.
Edible pumpkin flowers represent a promising but still underutilized source of nutrients and bioactive compounds. Despite their traditional culinary use in various regions of the world, comprehensive studies comparing the nutritional and chemical composition of flowers from different Cucurbita species are limited. This study conducted a detailed chemical analysis of flowers from five pumpkin species: Cucurbita maxima (giant pumpkin), C. pepo (summer squash), C. moschata (butternut squash), C. ficifolia (fig-leaf gourd), and C. argyrosperma (cushaw squash). The analyses included the determination of basic nutritional components, amino acids, minerals, vitamins, and fatty acid profiles using standard analytical methods (AOAC, ISO, and HPLC). Significant interspecific differences were observed. The flowers of butternut squash exhibited the highest protein and fat contents, while the flowers of cushaw squash contained the largest amounts of dietary fiber and total sugars. Flowers of giant pumpkin were distinguished by their elevated contents of vitamin C and β-carotene. Amino acid analysis revealed a rich protein profile, particularly in cushaw squash, characterized by high lysine and cysteine levels, whereas fig-leaf gourd contained the greatest amounts of leucine and isoleucine. The fatty acid composition was dominated by oleic, stearic, and myristic acids, while a considerable proportion of linoleic acid (PUFA) indicated potential health benefits, such as anti-inflammatory effects. Mineral analysis showed that giant pumpkin was richest in potassium, summer squash in zinc, and butternut squash in calcium and sodium. The findings confirm that pumpkin flowers are a valuable source of nutrients and bioactive compounds. Their composition highlights their potential as functional food ingredients and as raw materials for use in the dietary, food, and pharmaceutical industries. Further studies on bioavailability and antioxidant capacity are recommended to better define their nutritional and functional value. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fruits and Vegetables: Physicochemical Properties, Product Development and Health Benefits)
17 pages, 1562 KB  
Article
Ultrasound-Assisted Green Extraction and Hydrogel Encapsulation of Polyphenols from Bean Processing Waste
by Alessandro Bosio, Matteo Beccaria and Vera Lavelli
Foods 2026, 15(1), 30; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15010030 - 22 Dec 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 700
Abstract
Pod is the major solid waste from bean processing, and its accumulation is expected to increase in the coming years due to the increases in pulse consumption. This study aimed to investigate (a) the efficacy ultrasound (US)-assisted extraction of polyphenols from bean pod; [...] Read more.
Pod is the major solid waste from bean processing, and its accumulation is expected to increase in the coming years due to the increases in pulse consumption. This study aimed to investigate (a) the efficacy ultrasound (US)-assisted extraction of polyphenols from bean pod; (b) their solubilization rate constants and effective diffusivities (De), which are relevant parameters for scaling-up the process; and (c) the encapsulation efficiencies of the recovered phenolic compounds in hydrogel microbeads. Extracts were obtained either in water with US assistance (50–350 W·L−1) at 30 °C; in water at 30, 45 and 60 °C; or in water/ethanol mixtures at room temperature. Extracts were analyzed using HPLC with diode array and fluorometric detectors. The extract from US-assisted extraction, selected as the most promising treatment among those evaluated, was then encapsulated in alginate or alginate/chitosan microbeads. Changes in the solubilization rate constants (from 0.097 to 0.480 min−1) and De (from 3.4·10−11 to 4.6·10−9 m2·s−1) were observed upon the application of US. Increasing the acoustic energy density was more effective at accelerating solubilization than either increasing the temperature or using ethanol as a cosolvent. Polyphenols were better encapsulated in an alginate/chitosan matrix than in alginate alone, achieving 71% recovery of ferric reducing antioxidant power and 69% recovery of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical-scavenging activity. The cost-effective alginate/chitosan matrix entrapping of pod polyphenols is potentially useful in various food applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fruits and Vegetables: Physicochemical Properties, Product Development and Health Benefits)
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19 pages, 4324 KB  
Article
A Comparative Study of Vacuum-Freeze-Dried and Hot-Air-Dried Gannan Navel Orange Slices: Physical Characteristics, Volatile/Non-Volatile Compounds, Antioxidant Activity, and Sensory Attributes
by Yan Liang, Qingna Wu, Qin Xiong and Jun Zhang
Foods 2025, 14(24), 4327; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14244327 - 15 Dec 2025
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1176
Abstract
The Gannan navel orange (GNO) industry is large but constrained by limited deep-processing. This study employed vacuum freeze-drying (FD) and hot-air drying (HD) methods to prepare dried GNO slices, comparing their physical properties, volatile/non-volatile compounds, antioxidant activity, and sensory quality. Compared with the [...] Read more.
The Gannan navel orange (GNO) industry is large but constrained by limited deep-processing. This study employed vacuum freeze-drying (FD) and hot-air drying (HD) methods to prepare dried GNO slices, comparing their physical properties, volatile/non-volatile compounds, antioxidant activity, and sensory quality. Compared with the HD sample (ΔE= 10.11), the color changes were more pronounced in the FD sample (ΔE= 34.39), which appeared whiter and brighter. The FD method preserved more vitamin C (9.09% loss) than the HD method (27.28% loss). In contrast, HD samples contained significantly higher levels of total flavonoids, total phenols, hesperidin, narirutin and didymin, with respective increment percentages of 13.81%, 19.27%, 17.03%, 27.56% and 33.33% compared to FD samples. Volatile analysis revealed that drying treatments led to a decrease in terpene content compared with fresh slices (fresh 48.84% vs. FD 47.81% vs. HD 47.42%), while ester content increased (fresh 13.87% vs. FD 14.59% vs. HD 14.45%). Both methods reduced key monoterpenes (e.g., β-terpineol, terpinolene, 3-carene, α-terpineol, β-thujene and α-terpinene), possibly converting them into compounds such as p-mentha-1(7),8-diene-ol and thymol. Notably, HD samples contained much higher levels of harmful compounds 5-hydroxymethylfurfural and furfural. FD samples exhibited superior antioxidant activity and were preferred in sensory evaluation for appearance, aroma, texture, and taste. The findings indicate that FD offers advantages in terms of morphological retention, vitamin C preservation, antioxidant activity, safety and sensory perception, underscoring the market potential of FD navel orange slices as a high-value, healthy food product. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fruits and Vegetables: Physicochemical Properties, Product Development and Health Benefits)
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31 pages, 2324 KB  
Article
Vegetables and Glycemic Index: Exploring Their Correlation and Health Implications
by Manish Kumar Singh, Hyeong Rok Yun, Jyotsna S. Ranbhise, Sunhee Han, Sung Soo Kim and Insug Kang
Foods 2025, 14(21), 3703; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14213703 - 29 Oct 2025
Viewed by 4158
Abstract
Background: Vegetables are consumed worldwide in various forms, including raw, as green leaves in salads, and as ingredients in a wide range of dishes, such as curries, sauces, and burgers. They are rich in carbohydrates and dietary fiber (DF), and also provide moderate [...] Read more.
Background: Vegetables are consumed worldwide in various forms, including raw, as green leaves in salads, and as ingredients in a wide range of dishes, such as curries, sauces, and burgers. They are rich in carbohydrates and dietary fiber (DF), and also provide moderate amounts of protein, fat, oils, essential micronutrients, minerals, vitamins, and phytochemicals. Among their carbohydrate components, simple sugars such as monosaccharides/hexoses significantly influence postprandial blood glucose responses. The glycemic index (GI) is critical for managing chronic conditions, such as diabetes, obesity, hyperglycemia, and other metabolic diseases. The influence of individual carbohydrate fractions, such as hexoses, on GI and glycemic load (GL) has not been extensively investigated. Methods: This retrospective study analyzed the carbohydrates in vegetables (n = 65), focusing on hexoses and fibers, their carbohydrate-to-fiber ratio, and their effect on the GI and GL. Carbohydrate data were obtained from publicly accessible databases, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), FooDB, European and Australian food databases, and PubMed. The study assessed total carbohydrates (TC), hexoses, dietary starch (DS), total sugars (TS), and DF, and examined their correlations with GI using regression analysis. Results: Our analysis revealed that fiber ratios are a more reliable predictor of GI than conventional net carbohydrate measures. Among the carbohydrates analyzed, TC exhibited the highest positive correlation with GI, both in absolute terms and when normalized to fiber, while TS showed a weak correlation. Among the ratios studied, TC demonstrated a stronger correlation with the GI, followed by DS. Conclusions: Comparative evaluation revealed that DF exerts a buffering effect on glycemic response (GR) and supports the use of fiber ratios as a more stable and intrinsic parameter for predicting GI than standard estimation methods. Traditional approaches that rely on net carbohydrates may overlook important factors affecting glycemic impact, particularly the buffering effects of dietary fiber. This study advocates for the incorporation of carbohydrate-to-fiber ratios into GI estimation models. Our research may help evaluate the carbohydrate content in vegetables for further in vitro and in vivo studies aimed at clarifying the mechanisms and validating these metrics in glycemic regulation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fruits and Vegetables: Physicochemical Properties, Product Development and Health Benefits)
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