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Innovative Strategies for the Extraction, Processing, and Encapsulation of Food Bioactive Compounds

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2026 | Viewed by 377

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Laboratoire d’Automatique, de Génie des Procédés et de Génie Pharmaceutique, CNRS, University Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 69622 Villeurbanne, France
Interests: encapsulation; molecular interactions; bioactive molecules; biopolymers; controlled release
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The development of innovative strategies for the extraction, processing, and encapsulation of food bioactive compounds has become crucial in food science, biotechnology, and nutraceutical research. Bioactive molecules such as polyphenols, peptides, carotenoids, essential oils, and other natural compounds are increasingly recognized for their potential health-promoting effects and role in enhancing the quality, safety, and shelf life of food. However, challenges remain regarding their stability, bioavailability, and controlled release in complex food matrices. This Special Issue aims to gather cutting-edge contributions on novel extraction techniques (including green and sustainable approaches), advanced processing technologies, and innovative encapsulation systems that protect, stabilize, and enhance the functionality of bioactive compounds. Both original research articles and comprehensive reviews are welcome; this particularly includes articles addressing interdisciplinary approaches that bridge food chemistry, material science, nanotechnology, and applied food engineering.

By highlighting recent progress and future perspectives, this Special Issue seeks to advance scientific knowledge and foster practical applications that benefit both the food industry and human health.

Prof. Dr. Adem Gharsallaoui
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • bioactive compounds
  • extraction techniques
  • green and sustainable approaches
  • processing technologies
  • encapsulation systems
  • stability and bioavailability
  • food chemistry and nanotechnology
  • functional food applications

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

23 pages, 1444 KB  
Article
Spray-Drying Microencapsulation of Artemisia herba-alba Phenolic Extract: Physicochemical Properties, Structural Characterization, and Bioactivity
by Sara Lemmadi, Emilie Dumas, Faïza Adoui, Géraldine Agusti, Séverine Vessot-Crastes, Wafa Medfai and Adem Gharsallaoui
Molecules 2025, 30(19), 3904; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30193904 - 27 Sep 2025
Viewed by 288
Abstract
Artemisia herba-alba Asso. is a medicinal plant rich in phenolic compounds with strong antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. However, these bioactive molecules are highly sensitive to environmental conditions, limiting their stability and potential applications. This study investigated, for the first time, the encapsulation of [...] Read more.
Artemisia herba-alba Asso. is a medicinal plant rich in phenolic compounds with strong antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. However, these bioactive molecules are highly sensitive to environmental conditions, limiting their stability and potential applications. This study investigated, for the first time, the encapsulation of ethanolic extracts from the aerial parts of A. herba-alba by spray-drying, using maltodextrin (MD) and sodium caseinate (SC) as wall materials. The extract was obtained by ultrasound-assisted extraction, and both free and encapsulated forms were analyzed for phytochemical composition, antioxidant capacity, and antibacterial activity. Spray-dried microcapsules (SDE) were further characterized for encapsulation yield, efficiency, moisture, water activity, hygroscopicity, particle size, and structural integrity (SEM, ATR-FTIR, TGA/DTG). The process resulted in a high encapsulation yield (69.40%) and efficiency (96.39%), producing microcapsules with a small average size (10.05 ± 0.08 µm), low moisture (4.34%), low water activity (0.415), and moderate hygroscopicity (12.67%). Although the encapsulated extract showed lower total phenolic content, antioxidant capacity, and antibacterial activity compared to the free extract, SEM observations confirmed the formation of spherical, crack-free microcapsules, ATR-FTIR analysis revealed non-covalent interactions between wall materials and phenolics, and TGA/DTG demonstrated improved thermal stability. These results highlight spray-drying microencapsulation as an efficient approach to stabilize A. herba-alba phenolic compounds, offering promising applications as natural preservatives in the food industry. Full article
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