Exploring Compounds with Preventive Properties Against Contaminants in Food

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2025 | Viewed by 326

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Preventive Medicine, Toxicology and Forensic Medicine University of València, Av. Vincent Andrés Estellés, s/n, 46100 Burjassot, Spain
Interests: mycotoxins; antioxidants; bioactive compounds; omics sciences; proteomics; transcriptomics; mass spectrometry; bioinformatics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Poznań, Poland
Interests: active compounds of trees and shrubs; antioxidants; bioactive compounds; camelina sativa; cereals; dust; food production safety; mycotoxins; plant biochemistry; plant metabolomics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Preventive Medicine, Toxicology and Forensic Medicine University of València, Av. Vincent Andrés Estellés, s/n, 46100 Burjassot, Spain
Interests: food analysis; sample preparation; toxicology; bioactive compounds; mycotoxins; mass spectrometry

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Nowadays, food contamination represents a major concern for human health, whether of microbiological or chemical origin. The most concerning contaminants include mycotoxins, pesticides, heavy metals, and pathogens such as bacteria and viruses. Exposure to these substances, through the direct consumption of contaminated food can lead to serious health consequences, even at relatively low concentrations. In fact, once ingested, they are extremely difficult to eliminate.  For this reason, research is continuously focused on implementing the most effective strategies to prevent, mitigate, or counteract them.

The significance of studying compounds with preventive properties lies in the fact that, despite their potential, they face regulatory constraints. Specifically, many of these compounds require additional research, particularly regarding their optimal concentrations, to ensure both their safety and efficacy before they can be approved for use in food . Additionally, while promising, the long-term effectiveness and safety of natural compounds require further investigation, particularly regarding potential interactions with other nutrients or substances. Finally, sustainability is a crucial aspect: evaluating the scalability and environmental impact of sourcing natural compounds is essential to avoid unsustainable practices that could harm ecosystems.

The aim of this special issue is to explore the effectiveness of natural and synthetic compounds with preventive properties against food contamination. We particularly encourage contributions that focus on the use of natural or synthetic antioxidants, essential oils, organic acids, probiotics and prebiotics, plant extracts, bioactive peptides, chelating agents, absorbents, enzymatic inhibitors, natural compounds with detoxification properties or fermented products. We look forward to receiving your contributions in the form of original research, case studies, or review articles, providing insights into the use of specific compounds which prevent and mitigate contaminants-related hazards.

Dr. Alessandra Cimbalo
Prof. Dr. Kinga Stuper-Szablewska
Dr. Pilar Vila-Donat
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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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 contaminants
  • preventive compounds
  • antioxidants
  • omic sciences
  • bioactive peptides
  • functional ingredients

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

16 pages, 1180 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of Dietary Bioactive Agents Against Aflatoxin B1 and Ochratoxin A-Induced Duodenal Toxicity in Rats
by Sarra Rafai, Alessandra Cimbalo and Lara Manyes
Foods 2025, 14(10), 1793; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14101793 - 18 May 2025
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Abstract
Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and Ochratoxin A (OTA) are two of the most potent mycotoxins, recognized for their severe toxicity. In recent years, the consumption of bioactive substances has proven to be a valuable ally in combating their harmful effects on human health. For [...] Read more.
Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and Ochratoxin A (OTA) are two of the most potent mycotoxins, recognized for their severe toxicity. In recent years, the consumption of bioactive substances has proven to be a valuable ally in combating their harmful effects on human health. For this purpose, this study evaluates the protective effects of fermented whey (FW) and pumpkin (P), as functional ingredients in bread, on duodenum tissue against sub-chronic toxicity induced by AFB1 and OTA. Nine groups of male and female Wistar rats (n = 5 per sex/group) were exposed to different combinations of AFB1, OTA, FW, and P for 28 days. The gene expression of apoptotic and antioxidant markers, including p53, Bax, Hmox1, NF-κB, and occludin, was measured by quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR). AFB1 + OTA exposure led to an increased expression of p53 and NF-κB, with the downregulation of Bax and Hmox1. Occludin expression, which supports tight junction integrity, remained largely unaffected. Supplementation with FW and FW + P modulated gene expression favorably, offering protection against AFB1 and OTA toxicity. These bioactive components effectively mitigated oxidative stress and apoptosis in duodenal tissue. Notably, the results indicate that the protective effects of FW and P are not sex-dependent. These findings highlight the potential of FW and P as functional ingredients in combating the toxic effects of AFB1 and OTA in vivo. Full article
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