Bioactive Compounds in Fruits and Vegetables: Processing, Bioavailability and Functional Properties

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 May 2025 | Viewed by 388

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
College of Ocean Food and Biological Engineering, Jimei University, Xiamen 361021, China
Interests: food nutrition; natural active substances; food biotechnology

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Ocean Food and Biological Engineering, Jimei University, Xiamen 361021, China
Interests: structure-activity relationship of food nutrients

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor Assistant
College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350117, China
Interests: natural products; microbiology; mushrooms

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Fruits and vegetables are being promoted as a component of healthy dietary patterns and disease management, providing a rich source of vitamins, dietary fiber, and various other nutrients. Currently, bioactive compounds from fruits and vegetables, such as polyphenols, carotenoids, and flavonoids, have drawn significant attention for their potential role in preventing chronic diseases and promoting overall well-being. However, understanding how to effectively extract, enhance, and utilize these compounds remains a critical challenge. We still want to know: What are the most efficient and sustainable techniques for extracting bioactive compounds? How can their bioavailability and absorption in the human body be improved? What are the mechanisms through which these compounds exert their health effects? How can bioactive compounds be incorporated into functional foods and nutraceuticals? This Special Issue, on “Bioactive Compounds in Fruits and Vegetables: Processing, Bioavailability and Functional Properties”, seeks contributions of research and review articles that address these and related topics. We are particularly interested in studies that explore:

  • Novel and eco-friendly extraction techniques for bioactive compounds;
  • Methods to enhance the stability and bioavailability of these compounds;
  • Mechanistic insights into the health-promoting effects of specific bioactive components;
  • Applications of bioactive compounds in functional foods and supplements;
  • Analytical techniques for characterizing bioactive compounds and their efficacy.

We invite contributions that advance the understanding of bioactive compounds in fruits and vegetables and their impact on health and nutrition.

Your work will help bridge the gap between food science and human health, offering innovative solutions to pressing global challenges. We look forward to your valuable submissions. Please feel free to reach out with any questions or for further information.

Prof. Dr. Jian Li
Dr. Lingyu Zhang
Guest Editors

Prof. Dr. Yongbiao Zheng
Guest Editor Assistant

Manuscript Submission Information

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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.

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Keywords

  • fruit
  • vegetable
  • anthocyanin
  • secondary metabolite
  • biosynthesis
  • food extraction
  • bioactive component

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

17 pages, 3587 KiB  
Article
Volvariella volvacea Polypeptide Mitigates Alcohol-Induced Liver Injury: A Multi-Omics Study
by Bingzhi Chen, Juanqin Chen, Huihua Wu, Fangyi Zhang, Lili Chen, Weibin Zhang, Jing Yang, Li Yuan, Yuji Jiang and Youjin Deng
Foods 2025, 14(9), 1557; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14091557 - 29 Apr 2025
Viewed by 214
Abstract
This study investigated the hepatoprotective mechanisms of Volvariella volvacea fruiting body polypeptide (VVFP, 1–3 kDa) against acute alcohol-induced liver injury using multi-omics approaches. Male ICR mice pretreated with VVFP (100–400 mg/kg) showed significantly prolonged alcohol tolerance latency (p < 0.05) and accelerated [...] Read more.
This study investigated the hepatoprotective mechanisms of Volvariella volvacea fruiting body polypeptide (VVFP, 1–3 kDa) against acute alcohol-induced liver injury using multi-omics approaches. Male ICR mice pretreated with VVFP (100–400 mg/kg) showed significantly prolonged alcohol tolerance latency (p < 0.05) and accelerated sobriety recovery compared to controls. Integrated transcriptomics and metabolomics revealed VVFP’s dual regulatory effects: (1) transcriptional regulation of 36 endoplasmic reticulum stress genes (e.g., ERP57, Derl) through protein processing pathways (KEGG:04141), and (2) metabolic modulation of 23 hepatic metabolites, particularly phosphatidylcholines and organic acids, via amino acid biosynthesis and glycerophospholipid metabolism. Cross-omics analysis identified eight coregulated genes (Got1, Arg2, Srm, etc.) interacting with key metabolites (4-guanidinobutyric acid, GABA) through linoleic acid metabolism. These findings demonstrate VVFP’s therapeutic potential as a functional food ingredient by highlighting its ability to simultaneously target hepatic stress responses and metabolic homeostasis during alcohol detoxification. Full article
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