Bioactive Compounds from Horticultural Plants and Plant Byproducts: Cultivating Innovation for a Sustainable Future in Food Systems

Dear Colleagues,

Health-conscious consumers are increasingly prioritizing minimally processed natural foods, with fresh commodities such as fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices recognized as important sources of nutraceuticals with health-promoting properties. Consumers are also choosing functional foods, which often incorporate bioactive compounds from these natural sources. In this sense, horticultural plants rich in secondary bioactive metabolites provide an abundance of natural compounds beneficial for the human diet. The journey from "field to fork" is influenced by various preharvest, postharvest and processing technologies, making phytochemical modulation vital to preserving the quality, quantity and functionality of bioactives in the final product.

This Special Issue welcomes studies focused on the characterization and profiling of bioactive compounds from a variety of horticultural plants, with an emphasis on fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices. It seeks to highlight the latest research advancements in preharvest and postharvest treatments of horticultural crops, particularly their impact on bioactives, and explore methods for optimizing bioactive enhancement. In addition, this Special Issue aims to identify significant nutraceuticals from horticultural plants and waste, which may be applied in various forms (e.g., extracts, ingredients) in functional foods and packaging materials, thereby contributing to the valorization and sustainable cultivation of horticultural plants and addressing waste reduction. 

Dr. Charalampos Proestos
Dr. Aleksandra Bajić
Dr. Marijana Djordjević
Dr. Miljana Djordjević
Dr. Jelena Tomić
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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