Impact of Food Nutritional Compounds on Gut Microbiota and Their Health Benefits

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2026 | Viewed by 143

Special Issue Editors

Tianjin Key Laboratory of Food Science and Health, School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
Interests: prebiotic; gut; intestinal microbes

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Food Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
Interests: marine biological resources; edible fungi; comprehensive utilization; probiotics; prebiotics

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The human gut microbiota constitutes a complex, dynamic system of trillions of microorganisms. Extensive research evidence indicates that it plays a crucial role in maintaining human health and in the development of disease. Dietary intake profoundly influences the composition and function of the gut microbiota. Moreover, beyond providing basic nutrition, certain specialized nutrients—including probiotics, prebiotics, postbiotics, and synbiotics—also serve as key regulators of the gut microbial community, exerting effects that extend far beyond their initial anticipated roles. By modulating the gut microbiota, we have gained both theoretical insights and achieved practical success in maintaining lifelong wellness, alleviating chronic diseases, and enhancing immune function. Nevertheless, it is crucial to underscore the intrinsic complexity of the gut microbiota and its intricate interplay with the host organism and external environment. This leaves a vast array of potential signaling molecules and targets yet to be explored.

This Special Issue aims to compile cutting-edge research that elucidates the precise mechanisms by which specialized nutrients interact with the gut microbiota, including cell, animal, and population experiments. We welcome original research articles and reviews exploring how these interactions translate into tangible health benefits through novel experimental approaches, such as multi-omics integration and AI-assisted bioinformatics analysis, such as the following:

  • Enhancing gut barrier integrity and reducing inflammation;
  • Reducing the infection of pathogenic bacteria;
  • Modulating immune system homeostasis and preventing allergic/autoimmune diseases;
  • Improving metabolic parameters in obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases;
  • Influencing the gut-X axis to promote health;
  • The interactions and gut microbiota throughout the individual's full life cycle.

By dissecting the diet–microbiota–health axis, this issue seeks to advance our understanding of personalized nutrition and pave the way for novel dietary strategies to prevent and manage chronic diseases.

Dr. Jin Wang
Dr. Lei Pan
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

  • probiotics 
  • prebiotics 
  • postbiotics 
  • synbiotics 
  • gut-X axis

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

This special issue is now open for submission.
Back to TopTop