Interactions Between Gut Microbiota and Food Bioactive Components: Implications for Health

Dear Colleagues,

It is with great pleasure that we would like to invite you to collaborate to this Special Issue that will address the interactions between bioactive components of the diet and the process of modulation of the gut microbiota, especially its implications for health.

In this sense, the main objective of this Special Issue is to deepen existing knowledge about the interrelationship between the gut microbiota, the metabolites it produces, and other components naturally present in food, which can benefit the health of hosts in multiple ways. From the time of Antony van Leeuwenhoek (1632–1723), through Louis Pasteur (1822–1895), Robert Koch (1843–1910), and Élie Metchnikoff (1845–1916) to the present day, the microbial universe has fascinated countless scientists. Initially, the focus was on the study of pathogens, but the existence of cultures of interest for the production of fermented foods also gained notoriety. At the same time, it was suspected that certain microorganisms have a special property that benefits the health of their hosts.

In turn, it is known that the microbiota has a diversity of microbes that colonize the gastrointestinal tract in a number greater or equivalent to than the number of human cells. Although the literature presents several studies that demonstrate that the microbiota is directly related to the well-being of the host, the process of dysbiosis may lead to the worsening of inflammatory processes, as well as the development of some chronic non-communicable diseases. In view of this, more studies are still needed to understand in more detail this relationship between the therapeutic potential of bioactive compounds in the diet and the modulation of the gut microbiota, including mechanisms of action, genetic factors associated with the host, and the regulation of metabolism.

For these reasons, this Special Issue was prepared to bring together recent studies addressing the supplementation of bioactive compounds and their relationship to gut microbiota modulation, including, but not limited to, the following:

• “Live Dietary Microbes”, beneficial microbes, probiotics, and potentially probiotic microorganisms for human health;
• Food products aided by bioactive ingredients and health benefits;
• Functional foods and gut microbiota modulation;
• Pre-, pro-, syn-, psycho-, and postbiotics for health promotion;
• Infant gut microbiota and bioactive ingredients;
• Functional foods and implications for the gut–vagina axis;
• Relationship between next-generation probiotics and gut microbiota;
• Bioactive compounds and in vitro models that simulate the human gut microbiota.

Prof. Dr. Adriane Elisabete Costa Antunes
Dr. Douglas Xavier-Santos
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 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.

• antioxidant compounds
• beneficial microbes
• bioactive compounds
• functional foods
• gut microbiota
• health benefits
• postbiotics
• prebiotics
• probiotics
• synbiotics
• psychobiotics