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Foods
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The Functional Foods: New Trends and Perspectives
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The Functional Foods: New Trends and Perspectives

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: closed (30 September 2024) | Viewed by 10498

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Nicolò Merendino

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences (DEB), Tuscia University, Largo dell’Università snc,
01100 Viterbo, Italy
Interests: food science; nutrition; biochemistry; functional foods; food security
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, there has been a growing trend towards functional foods in the food and beverage industry. These foods and beverages are those with additional health benefits beyond basic nutrition. They are designed to promote health as well as prevent disease and are increasingly popular among consumers who are looking for healthier options. Furthermore, in recent years these foods have been gaining acceptance not only for prevention but also as adjuvants for some therapies. Indeed, functional foods are receiving increasing levels of interest not only in prevention but as part of therapy for either very common pathologies, such as diabetes or intestinal pathologies, but also for less common pathologies, called rare disorders. In this Special Issue, we therefore want to collect both research papers and reviews that take stock of this important aspect of nutrition and can provide inputs for understanding what the new aspects and perspectives in this important innovative area of nutrition are.

Dr. Nicolò Merendino
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

  • human nutrition 
  • functional foods 
  • food supplements
  • foods science 
  • human health 
  • non-transmissible pathology 
  • diabetes 
  • prebiotic 
  • antioxidants

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 1813 KiB  
Article
The Effects of Daily Consumption of Functionalized Yogurts with Sacha Inchi Oil and Interspecific Hybrid Palm Oil on the Lipid Profile and ApoB/ApoA1 Ratio of Healthy Adult Subjects
by Ruby-Alejandra Villamil, Laura-Natalia Romero, Juan-Pablo Ruiz, Diana-Cristina Patiño, Luis-Felipe Gutiérrez and Lilia-Yadira Cortés
Foods 2024, 13(23), 3973; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13233973 - 9 Dec 2024
Viewed by 1280
Abstract
Sacha Inchi oil (SIO) and hybrid palm oil (HPO) are potential sources of unsaturated fatty acids to improve the lipid profile of dairy products. This study evaluated, for the first time, the effects of the daily consumption of yogurts with enhanced fatty acid [...] Read more.
Sacha Inchi oil (SIO) and hybrid palm oil (HPO) are potential sources of unsaturated fatty acids to improve the lipid profile of dairy products. This study evaluated, for the first time, the effects of the daily consumption of yogurts with enhanced fatty acid profiles on plasma lipids related to cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. A pilot, randomized, double-blind, parallel-controlled trial was conducted with 47 participants assigned to three groups: SIO-enriched yogurt (Group A), HPO-enriched yogurt (Group B), and plain yogurt (Group C). Fasting blood samples were collected at baseline and after 1, 2, and 3 months to measure plasma lipids (TC, LDL-C, HDL-C, and TAG), ApoA1, and ApoB. While no significant changes were observed in the overall lipid profiles, notable within-group effects were identified. The total cholesterol (TC) dropped by 2.8%, 1.3%, and 3.3%, and LDL-C by 1.6%, 2.5%, and 2% in Groups A, B, and C, respectively. Additionally, the intake of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), and vitamin E significantly increased in Groups A and B. These results suggest that SIO and HPO can be used as milk fat substitutes to enhance the nutritional profile of yogurts without affecting CVD biomarkers in healthy individuals. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Functional Foods: New Trends and Perspectives)
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10 pages, 1070 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of the Phenolic Components, Fiber Content, Antioxidant Activity, and Prebiotic Capacity of a Shortbread Cookie Fortified with Hazelnut Skin Waste
by Lara Costantini, Giacomo Di Matteo, Martina Felli, Daniel V. Savatin, Luisa Mannina and Nicolò Merendino
Foods 2024, 13(23), 3814; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13233814 - 26 Nov 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 879
Abstract
Food reformulation is a strategy to make healthier foods by using food waste matrices that are still nutritionally valid. A shortbread cookie was reformulated replacing hazelnut skin (HS) of the Tonda Gentile Romana variety (5% and 10%) to refined flour and proportionally decreasing [...] Read more.
Food reformulation is a strategy to make healthier foods by using food waste matrices that are still nutritionally valid. A shortbread cookie was reformulated replacing hazelnut skin (HS) of the Tonda Gentile Romana variety (5% and 10%) to refined flour and proportionally decreasing the butter amount. This resulted in significant, two- and five-fold, increases in the antioxidant capacity compared with the control, in the 5% and 10% fortified recipes, respectively. Among the most important antioxidants, gallic acid, catechin, phloridzin, and protocatechuic acid were found. Moreover, here we found, for the first time, that HS from the Romana variety had a high total fiber content (44.13 g/100 g), most of which was insoluble fiber. Therefore, HS 10% addition to the shortbread cookie recipe caused a significant increase in fiber content, making the experimental cookie earn the nutritional claim of “high fiber content”. Finally, preliminary evidence demonstrated that 10% HS, in comparison to 5%, following in vitro upper gastrointestinal digestion, conferred significant prebiotic activity in an in vitro culture of L. rhamnosus. Therefore, from the perspective of the circular economy, HS could be a valuable ingredient to increase the antioxidant and prebiotic activities of conventional foods. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Functional Foods: New Trends and Perspectives)
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16 pages, 2866 KiB  
Article
Doenjang Ameliorates Diet-Induced Hyperlipidemia and Hepatic Oxidative Damage by Improving Lipid Metabolism, Oxidative Stress, and Inflammation in ICR Mice
by Olivet Chiamaka Edward, Do-Youn Jeong, Hee-Jong Yang, Anna Han and Youn-Soo Cha
Foods 2024, 13(10), 1471; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13101471 - 10 May 2024
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1943
Abstract
Hyperlipidemia, characterized by elevated cholesterol, lipids, and triglycerides in the bloodstream, is linked to hepatic oxidative damage. Doenjang, a traditional Korean condiment made from fermented soybeans, is known for its health benefits, yet its anti-hyperlipidemic effects remain understudied. Our study aimed to [...] Read more.
Hyperlipidemia, characterized by elevated cholesterol, lipids, and triglycerides in the bloodstream, is linked to hepatic oxidative damage. Doenjang, a traditional Korean condiment made from fermented soybeans, is known for its health benefits, yet its anti-hyperlipidemic effects remain understudied. Our study aimed to assess the hypolipidemic and hepatic protective effects of Doenjang on male ICR mice fed a high-fat cholesterol diet for 8 weeks. Mice were divided into three groups: the normal diet (ND), the high-fat cholesterol diet (HD), and the Doenjang-supplemented HD diet (DS) group. Doenjang supplementation significantly regulated total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL cholesterol, and HDL cholesterol levels compared to the HD group. It also downregulated lipogenic genes, including PPARγ, FAS, and ACC, and positively influenced the cholesterol metabolism-related genes HMGCR and LXR. Moreover, Doenjang intake increased serum glutathione levels, activated oxidative stress defense genes (NRF2, SOD, GPx1, and CAT), positively modulated inflammation genes (NF-kB and IL6) in hepatic tissue, and reduced malondialdehyde levels. Our findings highlight the effectiveness of traditional Doenjang in preventing diet-induced hyperlipidemia and protecting against hepatic oxidative damage. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Functional Foods: New Trends and Perspectives)
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Review

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32 pages, 3635 KiB  
Review
A Comprehensive Overview of Postbiotics with a Special Focus on Discovery Techniques and Clinical Applications
by Anand Kumar, Katelyn M. Green and Manmeet Rawat
Foods 2024, 13(18), 2937; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13182937 - 17 Sep 2024
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 5489
Abstract
The increasing interest in postbiotics, a term gaining recognition alongside probiotics and prebiotics, aligns with a growing number of clinical trials demonstrating positive outcomes for specific conditions. Postbiotics present several advantages, including safety, extended shelf life, ease of administration, absence of risk, and [...] Read more.
The increasing interest in postbiotics, a term gaining recognition alongside probiotics and prebiotics, aligns with a growing number of clinical trials demonstrating positive outcomes for specific conditions. Postbiotics present several advantages, including safety, extended shelf life, ease of administration, absence of risk, and patentability, making them more appealing than probiotics alone. This review covers various aspects, starting with an introduction, terminology, classification of postbiotics, and brief mechanisms of action. It emphasizes microbial metabolomics as the initial step in discovering novel postbiotics. Commonly employed techniques such as NMR, GC-MS, and LC-MS are briefly outlined, along with their application principles and limitations in microbial metabolomics. The review also examines existing research where these techniques were used to identify, isolate, and characterize postbiotics derived from different microbial sources. The discovery section concludes by highlighting challenges and future directions to enhance postbiotic discovery. In the second half of the review, we delve deeper into numerous published postbiotic clinical trials to date. We provide brief overviews of system-specific trial applications, their objectives, the postbiotics tested, and their outcomes. The review concludes by highlighting ongoing applications of postbiotics in extended clinical trials, offering a comprehensive overview of the current landscape in this evolving field. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Functional Foods: New Trends and Perspectives)
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