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Bioavailability and Health Benefits of Bioactive Compounds in Foods
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Bioavailability and Health Benefits of Bioactive Compounds in Foods

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2025 | Viewed by 4775

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Jorge Carlos Ruíz-Ruíz

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Nutrition, Health Sciences Division, Anahuac Mayab University, Km 15.5 Carretera Mérida a Progreso, Int. Km 2 Carretera a Chablekal, Mérida 97310, Yucatán, Mexico
Interests: food as bioactive substances; novel food ingredients; food authenticity; food sustainability
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Bioactive compounds, including polyphenols, carotenoids, vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, organic acids, peptides, nucleosides and nucleotides, and phytosterols, have attracted great attention due to their role in the prevention of several chronic diseases. Bioactive compounds, naturally present in various foods, offer numerous health benefits, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-carcinogenic properties. However, their effectiveness largely depends on their bioavailability—the proportion of these compounds that can be absorbed and utilized by the body. This Special Issue compiles cutting-edge research and reviews that address the obtention and activity evaluation methods, factors influencing the bioavailability of bioactive compounds, innovative methods to enhance their absorption, and the subsequent health benefits that they provide. By exploring the intricate relationships between food composition, digestion, metabolism, and health outcomes, this Special Issue will bridge the gap between nutritional science and practical recommendations.

Dr. Jorge Carlos Ruíz-Ruíz
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

  • bioavailability
  • metabolism
  • health benefits
  • bioactive compounds
  • foods

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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22 pages, 2751 KiB  
Article
Evaluating the Microstructure and Bioaccessibility of Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Activity After the Dehydration of Red Cabbage
by Nicol Mejias, Antonio Vega-Galvez, Alexis Pasten, Elsa Uribe, Ana Andrés, Sara Muñoz-Pina, Kateryna Khvostenko and Purificación García-Segovia
Foods 2025, 14(11), 1932; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14111932 - 29 May 2025
Viewed by 195
Abstract
This study aims to examine the effects of various drying methods, namely convective drying (CD), vacuum drying (VD), infrared drying (IRD), low-temperature vacuum drying (LTVD), and freeze-drying (FD), on the microstructure and in vitro bioaccessibility of red cabbage bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity. [...] Read more.
This study aims to examine the effects of various drying methods, namely convective drying (CD), vacuum drying (VD), infrared drying (IRD), low-temperature vacuum drying (LTVD), and freeze-drying (FD), on the microstructure and in vitro bioaccessibility of red cabbage bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity. Total polyphenol content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), total anthocyanin content (TAC), total glucosinolate content (TGC), individual phenolic profile, and antioxidant potential (DPPH, ABTS, FRAP) were examined experimentally in original and digested samples. Overall, SEM images of dried red cabbage showed more porous structures and minimal parenchyma deformation, enhancing bioactive compound bioaccessibility. Specifically, the bioaccessibility of TPC in IRD-dried samples was remarkably higher than that of FD- and LTVD-dried samples, although the latter two proved more TAC and TGC bioaccessible, respectively. Notably, hydroxycinnamic acids, such as ferulic and p-coumaric acids, markedly increased after digestion, especially in FD-dried samples. In vitro digestion revealed that CD-dried samples showed stronger DPPH and FRAP radical scavenging, whereas FD-dried samples had significantly higher ABTS scavenging activity. These findings suggest that LTVD and FD are the most suitable drying methods for red cabbage to enhance relevant bioactive compounds and, to some extent, antioxidant activity after digestion. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioavailability and Health Benefits of Bioactive Compounds in Foods)
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16 pages, 8172 KiB  
Article
Amelioration of LPS-Induced Jejunum Injury and Mucus Barrier Damage in Mice by IgY Embedded in W/O/W Emulsion
by Zhaohui Wang, Ruihua Ye, Shidi Zhang, Chuanming Liu, Ke Chen, Kongdi Zhu, Pengjie Wang, Fuqing Wang and Jiaqiang Huang
Foods 2024, 13(24), 4138; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13244138 - 20 Dec 2024
Viewed by 775
Abstract
Chicken yolk immunoglobulin (IgY) is a natural immunologically active antibody extracted from egg yolk and can be used as a natural dietary supplement for the treatment of inflammation and damage to the intestines. In our study, IgY was embedded in a double emulsion [...] Read more.
Chicken yolk immunoglobulin (IgY) is a natural immunologically active antibody extracted from egg yolk and can be used as a natural dietary supplement for the treatment of inflammation and damage to the intestines. In our study, IgY was embedded in a double emulsion (W/O/W; DE) to explore the therapeutic effect of the embedded IgY on Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced jejunal injury in mice. The results showed that W/O/W-embedded IgY as a dietary supplement (IgY + DE) attenuated LPS-induced damage to mouse small intestinal structures and protected the integrity of the jejunal mucosal barrier. IgY + DE increased the amount of related transcription factors (Math1, Spdef, Elf3, and Klf4) and promoted thrush cell differentiation. IgY + DE ameliorated LPS-induced reduction in mucin quantity and markers. It promoted the expression of Muc1 and Muc2 and increased the mRNA expression levels of Muc1, Muc2, Muc3, Muc4, Muc13, and Agr2 (p < 0.05). IgY + DE increased the expression of several glycosyltransferases involved in mucin glycosylation. IgY + DE also neutralized the LPS attack on the expression of jejunal inflammatory factors IL-1β, IL-6, IL-4, and TNF-α. In conclusion, the IgY-embedded double emulsion can be used as a dietary supplement for immunotherapy to prevent LPS-induced jejunal injury in mice. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioavailability and Health Benefits of Bioactive Compounds in Foods)
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14 pages, 440 KiB  
Article
Effect of Integrated Extraction Techniques on the Technofunctional and Bioactive Properties of Brosimum alicastrum Swartz Proteins
by María Fernanda Suárez-Hernández, Sara Gabriela Posada Ramirez, Darling del Carmen Castillo Cruz, Inocencio Higuera Ciapara, Neith Aracely Pacheco López, Iván Emanuel Herrera Pool and Jorge Carlos Ruiz-Ruiz
Foods 2024, 13(18), 2875; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13182875 - 11 Sep 2024
Viewed by 1168
Abstract
This study addresses the need for effective protein extraction and characterization to unlock the potential of underutilized plant resources like Brosimum alicastrum Swartz nuts, aiming to enhance their value as functional ingredients in food applications. Extraction methods, including pH modulation, ultrasound-assisted extraction, and [...] Read more.
This study addresses the need for effective protein extraction and characterization to unlock the potential of underutilized plant resources like Brosimum alicastrum Swartz nuts, aiming to enhance their value as functional ingredients in food applications. Extraction methods, including pH modulation, ultrasound-assisted extraction, and enzymatic hydrolysis, are employed to enhance technofunctional and bioactive properties. The protein extracts are evaluated for solubility, emulsifying capacity, foaming properties, and water/oil-holding capacities to assess their technofunctional potential. Additionally, the bioactive properties, such as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, are analyzed to explore potential health benefits. The results demonstrate that integrated extraction techniques significantly improve the yield and quality of Brosimum alicastrum Swartz nut proteins. Enzymatic hydrolysis, in particular, produces hydrolysates with superior bioactive properties. These findings highlight the potential of Brosimum alicastrum Swartz proteins as valuable ingredients for the food and pharmaceutical industries, promoting the utilization of underexploited plant resources for sustainable and health-promoting applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioavailability and Health Benefits of Bioactive Compounds in Foods)
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Review

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42 pages, 5649 KiB  
Review
Bee Pollen Phytochemicals and Nutrients as Unequaled Pool of Epigenetic Regulators: Implications for Age-Related Diseases
by Rachid Kacemi and Maria G. Campos
Foods 2025, 14(3), 347; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14030347 - 21 Jan 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1677
Abstract
Bee pollen is characterized by an exceptional diversity and abundance of micronutrients and bioactive phytochemicals. This richness remains very sparsely investigated, but accumulating evidence strongly supports a promising future for bee pollen in human nutrition and medicine. Epigenetic regulation is among the most [...] Read more.
Bee pollen is characterized by an exceptional diversity and abundance of micronutrients and bioactive phytochemicals. This richness remains very sparsely investigated, but accumulating evidence strongly supports a promising future for bee pollen in human nutrition and medicine. Epigenetic regulation is among the most compelling biomedical topics that remain completely untapped in bee pollen and bee derivative research. In our current research, we identified numerous ubiquitous compounds that are consistently present in this matrix, regardless of its botanical and geographical origins, and that have been well studied and documented as epigenetic regulators in recent years. Given the relative newness of both bee pollen biomedical research and epigenetic studies within nutritional, pharmaceutical, and medical sciences, this review aims to bridge these valuable fields and advance related experimental investigations. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work that has aimed to comprehensively investigate the epigenetic modulatory potential of bee pollen compounds. Our findings have also unveiled several intriguing phenomena, such as a dual effect of the same compound depending on the cellular context or the effect of some compounds on the cross-generational heritability of epigenetic traits. Although experimental studies of epigenetic regulation by bee pollen as a whole or by its extract are still lacking, our current study clearly indicates that this research avenue is very promising and worth further investigations. We hope that our current work constitutes a foundational cornerstone of future investigations for this avenue of research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioavailability and Health Benefits of Bioactive Compounds in Foods)
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