Functional Food and Safety Evaluation: Second Edition

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: 20 November 2025 | Viewed by 7024

Special Issue Editor


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Science and Technology, Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong, Rm 312, 20A Tsing Yi Road, Tsing Yi Island, N.T., Hong Kong, China
Interests: functional food; food safety; toxicology; nutraceutical; Chinese medicine; metabolomics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Natural ingredients from foods have been found to be effective in terms of promoting health and preventing diseases, which is why different cultures commonly use natural ingredients to maintain physical well-being and reduce the risk of chronic diseases. The popularity of using functional foods to promote health is increasing, and the global functional food market has expanded in recent decades. Further in-depth research on the mechanistic pathways and safety evaluation of functional foods could encourage functional food producers to develop high-quality products for consumers.

Potential topics of interest in this Special Issue include but are not limited to:

(i) mechanistic studies on food functional ingredients;
(ii) clinical evaluation of functional foods
(iii) risk–benefit assessment of functional foods. The submission of original research articles, reviews, and short communications is encouraged.

Dr. Shun Wan Chan
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

  • functional foods
  • food safety
  • nutraceutical
  • food ingredients
  • antioxidants
  • food toxicology

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.

Published Papers (3 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

21 pages, 2394 KB  
Article
Physicochemical and Sensory Properties of Davidson Plum (Davidsonia jerseyana) Sorbet, a Potential for New Functional Food Product
by Brittany Harriden, Costas Stathopoulos, Suwimol Chockchaisawasdee, Andrew J. McKune and Nenad Naumovski
Foods 2025, 14(16), 2902; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14162902 - 21 Aug 2025
Viewed by 256
Abstract
The Australian native foods, despite high phytochemical composition, are severely underutilized in research and on the commercial market. One of these plants is the Davidson plum (Davidsonia jerseyana), a nutrient-dense and sustainable food ingredient. The study aimed to develop functional fruit [...] Read more.
The Australian native foods, despite high phytochemical composition, are severely underutilized in research and on the commercial market. One of these plants is the Davidson plum (Davidsonia jerseyana), a nutrient-dense and sustainable food ingredient. The study aimed to develop functional fruit sorbets incorporating freeze-dried Davidson plum powder (0–20% w/w) and evaluate their physicochemical, antioxidant, and sensory properties. Sorbets were created using strawberry, raspberry, pomegranate, and Davidson plum bases and analyzed for nutritional content, color, melting rate, texture, and antioxidant capacity (Total Phenolic Content (TPC), Total Flavonoid Content (TFC), Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP), Cupric Reducing Antioxidant Capacity (CUPRAC), 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (Radical Scavenging Assay (DPPH)), total proanthocyanin and anthocyanin content. Sensory evaluation was also conducted using a semi-trained panel. The results showed that increasing Davidson plum concentration led to higher antioxidant activity and slower melting rates. Sorbets containing 10% and 15% Davidson plum demonstrated the highest levels of phenolic and flavonoid compounds. However, sensory analysis indicated that sorbets with 5% and 10% Davidson plum, particularly those made with a strawberry base were the most acceptable in terms of flavour, texture, and overall appeal. These findings suggest that incorporating Davidson plum into frozen desserts, especially at lower concentrations, can enhance both the functional and sensory qualities of sorbets while offering potential health benefits. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Food and Safety Evaluation: Second Edition)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

24 pages, 9295 KB  
Review
Cannabis Derivatives as Ingredients of Functional Foods to Combat the COVID-19 Pandemic
by Xiaoli Qin, Xiai Yang, Yanchun Deng, Litao Guo, Zhimin Li, Xiushi Yang and Chunsheng Hou
Foods 2025, 14(16), 2830; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14162830 - 15 Aug 2025
Viewed by 454
Abstract
Lower respiratory infections predominantly affect children under five and the elderly, with influenza viruses and respiratory syncytial viruses (including SARS-CoV-2) being the most common pathogens. The COVID-19 pandemic has posed significant global public health challenges. While vaccination remains crucial, its efficacy is limited, [...] Read more.
Lower respiratory infections predominantly affect children under five and the elderly, with influenza viruses and respiratory syncytial viruses (including SARS-CoV-2) being the most common pathogens. The COVID-19 pandemic has posed significant global public health challenges. While vaccination remains crucial, its efficacy is limited, highlighting the need for complementary approaches to mitigate immune hyperactivation in severe COVID-19 cases. Medicinal plants like Cannabis sativa show therapeutic potential, with over 85% of SARS-CoV-2-infected patients in China receiving traditional herbal treatments. This review explores the antiviral applications of cannabis and its bioactive compounds, particularly against SARS-CoV-2, while evaluating their pharmacological and food industry potential. Cannabis contains over 100 cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids, and fatty acids. Cannabinoids may block viral entry, modulate immune responses (e.g., suppressing pro-inflammatory cytokines via CB2/PPARγ activation), and alleviate COVID-19-related psychological stress. There are several challenges with pharmacological and food applications of cannabinoids, including clinical validation of cannabinoids for COVID-19 treatment and optimizing cannabinoid solubility/bioavailability for functional foods. However, rising demand for health-focused products presents market opportunities. Genetic engineering to enhance cannabinoid yields and integrated pharmacological studies are needed to unlock cannabis’s full potential in drug discovery and nutraceuticals. Cannabis-derived compounds hold promise for antiviral therapies and functional ingredients, though further research is essential to ensure safety and efficacy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Food and Safety Evaluation: Second Edition)
Show Figures

Figure 1

35 pages, 852 KB  
Review
An Overview of the Current Scientific Evidence on the Biological Properties of Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench (Okra)
by Carsten Tsun-Ka Kwok, Yam-Fung Ng, Hei-Tung Lydia Chan and Shun-Wan Chan
Foods 2025, 14(2), 177; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14020177 - 8 Jan 2025
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 5613
Abstract
Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench, commonly known as okra or lady’s finger, is an annual flowering plant belonging to the Malvaceae family. Okra is a native plant in Africa as well as a traditional medicine in Africa and India for treating different diseases and [...] Read more.
Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench, commonly known as okra or lady’s finger, is an annual flowering plant belonging to the Malvaceae family. Okra is a native plant in Africa as well as a traditional medicine in Africa and India for treating different diseases and conditions. Today, okra is widely consumed as a vegetable and is increasingly recognized as a superfood due to its rich nutritional profile and potential pharmacological benefits. Research indicates that okra exhibits a range of biological activities, including antidiabetic, antihyperlipidemic, antifatigue, vasoprotective, hepatoprotective, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial effects. Despite its promising therapeutic potential, research on the active compounds in okra and evaluating efficacy in clinical settings remains limited. This review aims to consolidate existing scientific knowledge on the biological and pharmacological properties of okra, thereby encouraging further investigation into its health benefits. Ultimately, this could pave the way for the development of functional foods or health supplements that leverage okra as a key ingredient to prevent chronic diseases and enhance overall health outcomes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Food and Safety Evaluation: Second Edition)
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Back to TopTop