Effects of Food Matrix and Physicochemical Structure on Bioavailability and Nutrition
A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Physics and (Bio)Chemistry".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 February 2026 | Viewed by 14
Special Issue Editors
Interests: food processing; food physicochemical structures, and the interactions of components in the food matrix and how they individually or collectively influence digestibility, bioavailability, and absorption of nutrients and nutraceuticals
Interests: plant-based diets; plant protein products; protein chemistry; bioactive peptides; functional foods; nutraceuticals; food protein structure and function; immunonutrition; nutritional biochemistry; molecular nutrition
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Food structure is key to the digestibility, bioavailability, absorption and utilisation of nutrients and nutraceuticals. Consequently, the physicochemical composition of food and the interactions within it affect digestion and nutrient release. For example, whole foods with intact cellular structures, such as fruits and vegetables, often result in slower nutrient absorption, providing prolonged satiety and metabolic benefits. Conversely, processed foods with disrupted structures may enhance bioavailability but can lead to rapid glucose spikes and reduced fibre intake. Thus, factors such as particle size, matrix complexity, and food processing methods (e.g., cooking, grinding, or emulsification) can significantly impact nutritional outcomes. Furthermore, nutrient interactions with other components in the food matrix—such as tannins and phytate, which are known to inhibit protein digestibility and absorption—highlight the importance of food composition. Taken together, understanding these relationships can help optimise diets for improved health by ensuring that essential nutrients are efficiently delivered while maintaining balanced digestion and metabolic stability.
Dr. Ikenna Christian Ohanenye
Dr. Ifeanyi D. Nwachukwu
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- bioavailability
- nutrient absorption
- food matrix
- digestion efficiency
- processing methods
- metabolic impact
- digestibility
- satiety
- nutrient interactions
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