molecules-logo

Journal Browser

Journal Browser

Functional Foods: Bioactive Compounds, Antioxidants and Anti-Inflammatory Activities, 2nd Edition

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 1765

Special Issue Editors


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Belgrade, Nemanjina 6, 11080 Belgrade, Serbia
Interests: food proteins; bioactive compounds of food; biochemical transformation during food processing; functional and techno-functional properties of food; compounds stability and interactions
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Bromatology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Belgrade, Vojvode Stepe 450, 11221 Belgrade, Serbia
Interests: food chemistry; functional food; nutraceuticals; bioactive compounds; antioxidants
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Food Technology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Belgrade, Nemanjina 6, 11080 Belgrade, Serbia
Interests: bioactive compounds of food; phenolic compounds; food proteins; functional and techno-functional properties of food; liquid chromatography; mass spectrometry; tandem mass spectrometry; phytochemical analysis

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Since oxidative stress and inflammation are linked to numerous chronic diseases, developing functional foods as a potential strategy for combating these processes has attracted considerable attention and research interest. Researchers explore foods and other sources of bioactive compounds, search for confirmation of their health-promoting benefits through in vitro and experimental studies, and unravel mechanisms by which foods and their constituents can modulate oxidative stress and inflammation. In addition, many research efforts focus on improving existing biotechnological and processing techniques to produce functional foods with bioaccessible and bioavailable bioactive compounds. To promote further innovation in the functional food industry, linking the consumption of functional foods should be based on strong scientific evidence of their effectiveness and safety, and a better understanding of factors affecting consumers’ acceptance of functional foods. This Special Issue aims to collect original research papers and review articles focused on the abovementioned aspects of functional foods for modulating inflammation and oxidative stress.

Dr. Mirjana B. Pešić
Prof. Dr. Bojana Vidović
Dr. Danijel D. Milinčić
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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. Molecules 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 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
  • antioxidants
  • anti-inflammatory
  • nutraceuticals
  • isolation of bioactives
  • interactions of bioactives
  • food matrix
  • bioaccessibility
  • bioavailability

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Related Special Issue

Published Papers (3 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

13 pages, 648 KB  
Article
Oil Extract of Green Brazilian Propolis, Antioxidant Activity, Safety and Quality Control
by Murilo Alberici de Oliveira, Giovanna Veronezzi, Guilherme Perez Pinheiro, Marcia Ortiz Mayo Marques and Alexandra Christine Helena Frankland Sawaya
Molecules 2026, 31(8), 1234; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31081234 - 8 Apr 2026
Viewed by 285
Abstract
Propolis is a resin collected by bees from several plant sources and used by humans for centuries. Its commercial use is usually based on alcoholic extracts, which is a drawback for some applications. Conversely, oil extracts are non-toxic and capable of extracting and [...] Read more.
Propolis is a resin collected by bees from several plant sources and used by humans for centuries. Its commercial use is usually based on alcoholic extracts, which is a drawback for some applications. Conversely, oil extracts are non-toxic and capable of extracting and dissolving a wide range of less polar compounds. As previous studies showed that oil extracts presented bioactivity similar to ethanolic extracts, a reproducible method for the extraction of green Brazilian propolis was developed and patented. The antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities of the ethanolic and oil extracts of green propolis were compared as well as their ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography with high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS) profiles, with similar results. A method was developed to recover propolis bioactive compounds from the oily matrix in order to allow its qualitative and quantitative quality control, according to parameters determined by the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture, and is presented herein for the first time. The total flavonoid and phenolic contents, antioxidant activity and dry mass are comparable to the ethanolic extract. Therefore, OEP can be recommended for the diverse food supplements and cosmetic products that currently use the ethanolic extract of propolis, without the drawbacks of the presence of alcohol in these formulations. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

22 pages, 1246 KB  
Article
Bioactive, Antioxidant, and Nutritional Responses of Garlic (Allium sativum L.) to Fertilization Regimes
by Boris Adamović, Jelena Visković, Aleksandra Tepić-Horecki, Anita Milić, Zdravko Šumić, Janko Červenski, Slobodan Vlajić, Snežana Jakšić, Milorad Živanov and Goran Jaćimović
Molecules 2026, 31(4), 652; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31040652 - 13 Feb 2026
Viewed by 625
Abstract
Garlic (Allium sativum L.) is a significant crop cultivated worldwide for its culinary, nutritional, and medicinal value. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different fertilization regimes on the bioactive compounds, antioxidant activity, nutritional value, and mineral composition of garlic. The [...] Read more.
Garlic (Allium sativum L.) is a significant crop cultivated worldwide for its culinary, nutritional, and medicinal value. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different fertilization regimes on the bioactive compounds, antioxidant activity, nutritional value, and mineral composition of garlic. The field experiment was conducted at the Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops, in three replications. Fertilization significantly influenced the bioactive compounds, antioxidant activity, nutritional quality, and mineral composition of garlic. Cattle manure proved to be the most effective treatment, increasing protein (by approx. 5.1%), total sugars (17.9%), sucrose (24.9%), sulfur content (7.2%), total phenolics (3.1%), flavonoids (30.7%), and antioxidant activity (by 5.2–23.1% depending on the assay) compared to the control, indicating superior nutritional and functional quality. Multivariate analyses highlighted the significant impact of fertilization regimes on garlic quality, with mineral fertilizer, control (treatment without fertilizer application), and cattle manure enhancing bioactive compounds, antioxidant activity, and nutritional composition. Fertilization had limited effects on macroelements, although cattle and sheep manure increased nitrogen and sulphur contents, while molasses reduced phosphorus and potassium levels. Organic fertilization significantly modified microelement composition, with sheep manure notably increasing zinc and copper, while most fertilizers reduced boron, iron, and sodium contents compared with the control. Animal-based fertilizers, particularly cattle manure, provide a sustainable alternative to mineral fertilization, enhancing garlic’s dry matter, nutritional and bioactive compounds, and antioxidant activity. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

26 pages, 2679 KB  
Review
Shaping the Bioactive Properties of Kombucha Drinks by Using Raw Materials Alternative to Tea
by Akshay Chandran, Joanna Wyka, Gloria-Renate Klein, Barbara Stefanska and Joanna Kolniak-Ostek
Molecules 2026, 31(7), 1170; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31071170 - 1 Apr 2026
Viewed by 441
Abstract
Alternative substrates to traditional Camellia sinensis tea are increasingly investigated to diversify kombucha and enhance its functional properties. This review synthesizes evidence (2020–2025) on how non-tea substrates influence microbial ecology, metabolite composition, and bioactivity of kombucha. A semi-systematic search of PubMed, Scopus, Web [...] Read more.
Alternative substrates to traditional Camellia sinensis tea are increasingly investigated to diversify kombucha and enhance its functional properties. This review synthesizes evidence (2020–2025) on how non-tea substrates influence microbial ecology, metabolite composition, and bioactivity of kombucha. A semi-systematic search of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and publisher platforms identified studies on fruit, vegetable, herbal, algal, cereal, dairy, and food-industry by-product substrates reporting compositional or functional outcomes. Extracted data included substrate characteristics, fermentation conditions, SCOBY features, analytical methods, and reported antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, metabolic, probiotic, and dermatological effects. Fermentation often leads to an increase in total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity. These effects are highly dependent on fermentation conditions, particularly duration and substrate composition. In some cases, prolonged fermentation may result in phenolic degradation or transformation, leading to reduced levels of certain compounds. Fruit- and hibiscus-based systems enhanced anthocyanin-driven antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. Vegetable and cereal substrates supplied phenolic acids and β-glucans associated with metabolic regulation and gut health, whereas by-products and algal fermentations supported waste valorization and enrichment in chlorogenic acids, pigments, fibers, and peptides. Despite promising functionality, substantial inter-study variability and limited in vivo validation and the lack of standardized fermentation protocols constrain translational application. In addition, the inherent variability in SCOBY microbial composition represents a major source of inconsistency, as differences in microbial communities can significantly influence fermentation dynamics, metabolite profiles, and functional outcomes. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop