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10.3
5.1
Journals
Foods
Special Issues
Exploring Functional Compounds from Food Plants: Extraction and Analysis
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Exploring Functional Compounds from Food Plants: Extraction and Analysis

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 February 2026) | Viewed by 1578

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Francesco Saverio Robustelli della Cuna

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Environmental Research Center, ICS Maugeri SPA SB, Institute of Pavia, IRCCS, Via Maugeri 2, 27100 Pavia, Italy
Interests: extract analysis; essential oils; traditional medicine
Dr. Valeria Cavalloro

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 1, 27100 Pavia, Italy
Interests: pharmaceutical botany; secondary metabolites; biomass extraction
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Food plants are rich sources of bioactive compounds with potential health benefits. Extracting and analysing these compounds is essential for understanding their effectiveness, stability, and uses in food industries. To this aim, different extraction methods, like solvent extraction, supercritical fluid extraction, and ultrasonic-assisted extraction, and analytical techniques, such as high-performance liquid chromatography, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, are commonly used in this field. Recent advances in green extraction technologies, omics-based, and computational approaches have further improved the accuracy and sustainability of these processes. Understanding the full profile of functional compounds in food plants supports the development of health-promoting products and contributes to sustainable agriculture and food innovation. Ongoing research in this area is vital for maximising the benefits of plant-derived bioactives for human health. This Special Issue welcomes original research articles and reviews investigating the world of functional compounds from food plants. Contributions addressing topics such as extraction methods, computational exploration, and analytical investigations will be considered.

Prof. Dr. Francesco Saverio Robustelli della Cuna
Dr. Valeria Cavalloro
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 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-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

  • food chemistry
  • secondary metabolites
  • bioactivity
  • computational chemistry
  • green extraction
  • food by-products
  • green metrics
  • metabolomic

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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17 pages, 1709 KB  
Article
Acanthus mollis Leaf Extract as Potential New Food Ingredient in the Prevention of Aging-Related Neurodegeneration
by Valeria Cavalloro, Giulia Moretto, Alice Fossati, Francesco Saverio Robustelli della Cuna, Simona Collina, Emanuela Martino, Raffaella Colombo and Adele Papetti
Foods 2026, 15(11), 1907; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15111907 - 28 May 2026
Viewed by 264
Abstract
Life expectancy in high-income countries is increasing, leading to a higher incidence of age-related neurodegenerative diseases. To address this urgent medical need, several molecular targets have been identified, including advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and tyrosinase. Given the well-established role of diet in [...] Read more.
Life expectancy in high-income countries is increasing, leading to a higher incidence of age-related neurodegenerative diseases. To address this urgent medical need, several molecular targets have been identified, including advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and tyrosinase. Given the well-established role of diet in counteracting degenerative processes, this study aimed to identify a potential food ingredient with combined anti-tyrosinase and anti-glycative properties. Acanthus mollis L. was selected based on its inclusion in the BelFrIt list and its known content of tyrosinase inhibitors, such as benzoxazinones and verbascoside. Extraction of A. mollis leaves was optimized using a design of experiments approach, comparing microwave- and ultrasound-assisted techniques. Optimal conditions were achieved using microwave-assisted extraction with ethanol 80%, 80 °C, one cycle, drug-to-solvent ratio of 10 mL/g. The optimized extract (at 5 mg/mL) inhibited tyrosinase activity by approximately 47%, increasing to 58% after chlorophyll removal. Moreover, the extract reduces AGEs formation in presence of methylglyoxal, with an activity at 1 mg/mL comparable with that of a well-known anti-glycative agent. A similar trend was observed in the reduction in methylglyoxal and glyoxal levels. Overall, these results support the potential of the optimized A. mollis extract as a functional food ingredient to counteract aging-related neurodegeneration. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exploring Functional Compounds from Food Plants: Extraction and Analysis)
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23 pages, 2691 KB  
Article
Fruit Nutritional Composition and Seed Reserve Mobilization as Tools for Phenotypic Selection in Eugenia patrisii (Myrtaceae)
by Pedro Paulo dos Santos, Elmer Viana Gonçalves, Josiane Celerino de Carvalho, Karen Cristina Pires da Costa, Acacio de Andrade Pacheco, Caris dos Santos Viana, Jaime Paiva Lopes Aguiar, Andreia Varmes Fernandes, Auxiliadora Oliveira Martins, Wagner Luiz Araújo and José Francisco de Carvalho Gonçalves
Foods 2026, 15(2), 188; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15020188 - 6 Jan 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 985
Abstract
Understanding the integration of metabolic fluxes in fruits and seeds is crucial for identifying key biochemical markers for phenotypic selection in tropical species. This study investigated the Amazonian fruit species Eugenia patrisii (Myrtaceae), known for its nutritional and biotechnological potential, to elucidate the [...] Read more.
Understanding the integration of metabolic fluxes in fruits and seeds is crucial for identifying key biochemical markers for phenotypic selection in tropical species. This study investigated the Amazonian fruit species Eugenia patrisii (Myrtaceae), known for its nutritional and biotechnological potential, to elucidate the link between fruit chemistry and primary reserve mobilization during germination and early seedling growth. Botanical material was collected from an experimental plantation in Maraba, Pará, Brazil. Three contrasting phenotypes (Ph2, Ph3, and Ph6) were analyzed for fruit proximate composition as well as the dynamics of carbohydrates and protein use over seven germination stages. Fruits predominantly contained carbohydrates (76.6–79.3 g/100 g) and proteins (12.7–17.5 g/100 g) and had low lipid content (<5 g/100 g), indicating high energy conversion efficiency. Phenotype Ph6 showed higher protein accumulation and intensive reserve metabolism in late development stages, while Ph2 featured greater soluble sugar content, indicating contrasting reserve allocation strategies. Principal component analysis (PCA) and the indices of integrated metabolic flux (MFI) and total activity (TAI) revealed distinct metabolic cost patterns and biochemical efficiency among phenotypes. Together, these results demonstrate that fruit nutritional attributes and seed metabolic behavior provide quantitative criteria for identifying superior phenotypes, with Ph3 and Ph6 emerging as promising candidates for domestication, breeding, and conservation programs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exploring Functional Compounds from Food Plants: Extraction and Analysis)
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