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Metabolites
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Functional Foods and Natural Bioactive Compounds: Strategies to Face Metabolic...
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Functional Foods and Natural Bioactive Compounds: Strategies to Face Metabolic Syndrome and Related Non-Communicable Diseases

A special issue of Metabolites (ISSN 2218-1989). This special issue belongs to the section "Nutrition and Metabolism".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 2 June 2025 | Viewed by 5807

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Paola Gauffin-Cano

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
CERELA (Centro de Referencia para Lactobacilos), CONICET, Tucumán, Argentina
Interests: functional foods; lactic acid bacteria; probiotics; postbiotics; symbiotic; metabolic syndrome; obesity
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Sebastián Torres

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
INBIOFIV (Instituto de Bioprospección y Fisiología Vegetal), CONICET-UNT, Tucumán, Argentina
Interests: functional foods; fermented vegetable foods; fermented vegetable beverages; probiotics; lactic acid bacteria; Bacillus spp.; metabolic syndrome
Dr. Roxana Medina

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
CERELA (Centro de Referencia para Lactobacilos), CONICET, Tucumán, Argentina
Interests: functional foods; lactic acid bacteria; probiotics; postbiotics; symbiotic; metabolic syndrome; obesity; feruloyl esterase
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) encompass long-term, multifactorial, noninfectious health disorders that constitute new epidemics in developed societies and reduce life expectancy, becoming the leading cause of death globally. The main types of NCDs include, in addition to cancer and chronic respiratory diseases, pathologies closely related to metabolic syndrome, a clinical condition associated with at least five metabolic risk factors: abdominal obesity, insulin resistance, hyperglycemia, hypertension, or dyslipidemia. The perpetuation of these metabolic dysfunctions can lead to the development of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, or some types of cancer, among other pathologies. Many of these NCDs have, as common factors, the prevalence of chronic low-grade inflammation, oxidative stress, and intestinal dysbiosis. The main therapeutic guideline for metabolic syndrome entails lifestyle changes, chiefly through nutrition interventions. Often, however, these metabolic derangements require (not always desired or available) pharmaceutical therapies.

In this context, the bioactive compounds present in functional foods and other biofunctional products, including fermented (dairy and vegetable) foods and beverages, probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, and postbiotics, can offer prophylactic and therapeutic alternatives for NCDs associated with metabolic syndrome. These biologically active ingredients emerge as alternatives for metabolic syndrome and related NCDs prophylaxis or amelioration. They represent multipurpose tools to face different aspects of metabolic disorders by reshaping intestinal ecology and modulating metabolic homeostasis, gut barrier function, inflammatory response, and redox balance. This Special Issue aims to strengthen the knowledge concerning the role of bioactive compounds in functional foods and other biofunctional products to prevent or improve metabolic syndrome or NCDs. For this purpose, contributions of original research articles or review papers fitting this significant theme for human wellness are welcome.

Dr. Paola Gauffin-Cano
Dr. Sebastián Torres
Dr. Roxana Medina
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. Metabolites is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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 2700 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

  • functional foods
  • bioactive compounds
  • fermented foods
  • fermented beverages
  • fermented vegetable foods
  • probiotics; prebiotics
  • synbiotics; postbiotics
  • metabolic syndrome
  • non-communicable diseases

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 3925 KiB  
Article
The Effect of Cooking and Cooling Chickpea Pasta on Resistant Starch Content, Glycemic Response, and Glycemic Index in Healthy Adults
by Adrianna Bojarczuk, Paulina Kęszycka, Krystian Marszałek and Danuta Gajewska
Metabolites 2024, 14(11), 585; https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo14110585 - 28 Oct 2024
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Abstract
Background/Objectives: Legume seeds, such as chickpeas, are a rich source of resistant starch (RS) and have a low glycemic index (GI). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of cooking and cooling chickpea pasta on the RS content, glycemic response, [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Legume seeds, such as chickpeas, are a rich source of resistant starch (RS) and have a low glycemic index (GI). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of cooking and cooling chickpea pasta on the RS content, glycemic response, and GI in healthy subjects. Methods: Twelve healthy subjects of both sexes, aged 18–65 years, participated in this study. Each person consumed two standardized portions of chickpea pasta: (i) freshly cooked (FCP) and (ii) cooked chickpea pasta which was cooled for 24 h at 4 °C and reheated before consumption (CCP). Glucose solution was provided as a reference food. Participants consumed chickpea pasta in a random order. GI measurements were completed using the standard methodology and calculated according to the ISO 2010 standard. Results: The cooling and reheating process significantly increased the RS content of boiled chickpea pasta (from 1.83 g/100 g to 3.65 g/100 g) and had a beneficial effect on postprandial glycemia in healthy individuals. The CCP pasta had a significantly lower GI value than the FCP pasta (33 vs. 39, p = 0.0022). A significant difference in the glucose, as identified by the incremental area under the curve (IAUC), was observed between the CCP and FCP (1327.9 ± 414.8 mg/dL/min vs. 1556.1 ± 456.9 mg/dL/min, p = 0.0022). The cooling–reheating process did not affect the sensory attributes of the chickpea pasta. In general, the overall acceptability of the CCP pasta was similar to that of the FCP pasta. Conclusions: The results of our study support the hypothesis that a reduced glycemic response after simple changes in technological intervention leads to a decrease in postprandial blood glucose and GI. This can be helpful for people who need to control postprandial glycemia. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Foods and Natural Bioactive Compounds: Strategies to Face Metabolic Syndrome and Related Non-Communicable Diseases)
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16 pages, 2225 KiB  
Article
Resistant Potato Starch Supplementation Reduces Serum Free Fatty Acid Levels and Influences Bile Acid Metabolism
by Jason R. Bush, Izuchukwu Iwuamadi, Jun Han, David J. Schibli, David R. Goodlett and Edward C. Deehan
Metabolites 2024, 14(10), 536; https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo14100536 - 5 Oct 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2486
Abstract
Background: Resistant starches, such as high-amylose maize starch and resistant potato starch (RPS), have prebiotic effects that are linked to improved metabolism at >15 g/day, but the effects at lower doses have not been reported. Methods: We performed an exploratory post [...] Read more.
Background: Resistant starches, such as high-amylose maize starch and resistant potato starch (RPS), have prebiotic effects that are linked to improved metabolism at >15 g/day, but the effects at lower doses have not been reported. Methods: We performed an exploratory post hoc analysis of free fatty acids (FFAs), bile acids (BAs), and ketone bodies in serum previously collected from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial evaluating the effects of one- and four-week consumption of 3.5 g/day RPS versus a placebo using two-way ANOVA adjusted by pFDR. Associations between week 4 changes in FFAs, BAs, and ketone bodies were assessed by Pearson’s correlations. Results: RPS consumption reduced total FFAs relative to the placebo, including multiple unsaturated FFAs and octanedioic acid, with reductions in taurine- and glycine-conjugated secondary BAs also detected (q < 0.05). No changes in ketone bodies were observed (q > 0.05). Changes in 7-ketodeoxycholic acid (r = −0.595) and glycolithocholic acid (r = −0.471) were inversely correlated with treatment-induced reductions in FFAs for RPS but not the placebo, suggesting the effects were from the prebiotic. Shifts in β-hydroxybutyrate were further correlated with FFA changes in both treatments (q < 0.05). Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that low doses of RPS positively influence fatty acid metabolism in humans, reducing circulating levels of FFA and conjugated BAs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Foods and Natural Bioactive Compounds: Strategies to Face Metabolic Syndrome and Related Non-Communicable Diseases)
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Review

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27 pages, 1315 KiB  
Review
The Role of Olive Oil in Cardiometabolic Risk
by Andrea Salvo and Antonino Tuttolomondo
Metabolites 2025, 15(3), 190; https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo15030190 - 11 Mar 2025
Viewed by 710
Abstract
Olive oil, the primary fat source in the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet), is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), especially oleic acid, which constitutes 70–80% of its composition. Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), produced by mechanically pressing olives, is the highest quality olive oil, with [...] Read more.
Olive oil, the primary fat source in the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet), is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), especially oleic acid, which constitutes 70–80% of its composition. Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), produced by mechanically pressing olives, is the highest quality olive oil, with an intense flavor and acidity <1%. In contrast, refined olive oil (ROO), a blend of virgin and refined oils, contains fewer antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. EVOO’s health benefits stem largely from its MUFA content, which is linked to reduced risks of cardiovascular disease (CVD), neurodegenerative conditions, and certain cancers. Additionally, EVOO contains minor, but bioactive, components such as polyphenols, tocopherols, and phytosterols, contributing to its oxidative stability, sensory qualities, and health-promoting properties. These include polyphenols, like oleuropein, hydroxytyrosol, and tyrosol, which exhibit anti-inflammatory, cardioprotective, neuroprotective, and anticancer effects. Epidemiological studies suggest an inverse relationship between olive oil intake and CVD, with EVOO-enriched MedDiet interventions showing improved lipid profiles, reduced blood pressure, and lower cardiovascular event risk. The PREDIMED study highlights the significant role of EVOO in reducing cardiometabolic risk. This review explores the impact of EVOO’s chemical components within the MedDiet framework on metabolic variables influencing cardiometabolic health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Foods and Natural Bioactive Compounds: Strategies to Face Metabolic Syndrome and Related Non-Communicable Diseases)
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