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Functional and Bioactive Compounds in Foods: Chemical Complexities and Transformative...
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Functional and Bioactive Compounds in Foods: Chemical Complexities and Transformative Opportunities

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2024) | Viewed by 10896

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Ali Rashidinejad

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Riddet Institute, Massey University, Private Bag 11 222, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand
Interests: bioactive compounds; phenolic compounds; functional foods; encapsulation; phytochemical delivery
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue, ‘Functional and Bioactive Compounds in Foods: Chemical Complexities and Transformative Opportunities’ aims to collate articles that delve into the intricate world of functional and bioactive compounds present in various foods. We aim to shed light on their chemical intricacies while highlighting the potential they hold for driving innovation in the food industry and promoting human health.

The Special Issue brings together cutting-edge research from experts around the globe and across diverse disciplines, including chemistry, nutrition, engineering, and food science. We welcome articles within a wide spectrum of topics, ranging from the identification and characterization of bioactive compounds (e.g., polyphenols, carotenoids, omega-3 fatty acids, glucosinolates, saponins, phytosterols, capsaicinoids, and prebiotics) to the exploration of their physiological and health-promoting effects. Additionally, by addressing challenges related to analysis, extraction, encapsulation, and incorporation into food products, contributing authors can unveil the underlying complexities associated with these compounds.

This collection will also underscore the opportunities that these compounds present for food product development and formulation, as the exploration of functional and bioactive compounds paves the way for novel ingredients, enhanced nutritional profiles, and innovative approaches to food preservation and processing.

We look forward to your contributions.

Dr. Ali Rashidinejad
Guest Editor

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. 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
  • food chemistry and functionality
  • nutritional profiles
  • food product development
  • health and well-being

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

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 2319 KiB  
Article
Improved Anti-Oxidant and Anti-Bacterial Capacities of Skim Milk Fermented by Lactobacillus plantarum
by Ying Wang, Bingtian Zhao, Yun Ding, Nan Liu, Cheng Yang and Yajuan Sun
Molecules 2024, 29(16), 3800; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29163800 - 10 Aug 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1539
Abstract
Milk, on account of its abundant protein content, is recognized as a vital source of bioactive substances. In this study, the bioactive ingredients in milk were obtained by a combination of protease hydrolysis and fermentation with Lactobacillus plantarum. The compositions of protease [...] Read more.
Milk, on account of its abundant protein content, is recognized as a vital source of bioactive substances. In this study, the bioactive ingredients in milk were obtained by a combination of protease hydrolysis and fermentation with Lactobacillus plantarum. The compositions of protease hydrolysate (PM) and fermentation supernatant (FM) were determined, and their anti-oxidant and anti-bacterial activities were evaluated. Using LC-MS/MS, the molecular weights and sequences of the peptides were characterized, among which a total of 25 bioactive peptides were identified. The DPPH radical scavenging results demonstrated that FM exhibited an enhanced anti-oxidant capacity compared to PM. The bacterial survival rate results revealed that FM had a remarkable anti-bacterial ability compared to PM. Additionally, the anti-bacterial component and potential anti-bacterial mechanisms were determined. The results of cytoplasmic membrane depolarization, cell membrane permeability, and morphological observation indicated that FM could interact with bacterial membranes to achieve its anti-bacterial effect. These findings suggested that FM, as a bioactive substance of natural origin, holds potential applications in the functional food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional and Bioactive Compounds in Foods: Chemical Complexities and Transformative Opportunities)
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17 pages, 1663 KiB  
Article
Lipase-Catalyzed Preparation and Optimization of Structured Phosphatidylcholine Containing Nervonic Acid
by Xun Ang, Hong Chen, Jiqian Xiang, Fang Wei and Siew Young Quek
Molecules 2024, 29(7), 1539; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29071539 - 29 Mar 2024
Viewed by 1317
Abstract
This study investigated the incorporation of nervonic acid into the chemical structure of phosphatidylcholine via a lipase-catalyzed acidolysis reaction to obtain a functional phospholipid. Lipase immobilization was conducted, and Amberlite XAD7-HP was selected as a carrier to immobilize phospholipase A1 (PLA1 [...] Read more.
This study investigated the incorporation of nervonic acid into the chemical structure of phosphatidylcholine via a lipase-catalyzed acidolysis reaction to obtain a functional phospholipid. Lipase immobilization was conducted, and Amberlite XAD7-HP was selected as a carrier to immobilize phospholipase A1 (PLA1) for subsequent experiments. The main acidolysis reaction parameters, including enzyme load, substrate ratio, temperature, and water content, were studied against the reaction time. The optimum reaction conditions obtained were enzyme load, 20%; reaction temperature, 55 °C; water content, 1%; and reaction time, 9 h. The maximum incorporation of nervonic acid into phosphatidylcholine was 48 mol%, with PC recovery at 61.6 mol%. The positional distribution of structured phosphatidylcholine shows that nervonic acid was found in the sn-1 position due to enzyme specificity and in the sn-2 position, possibly due to acyl migration. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional and Bioactive Compounds in Foods: Chemical Complexities and Transformative Opportunities)
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Review

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31 pages, 6310 KiB  
Review
The Physicochemical and Functional Properties of Biosurfactants: A Review
by Salome Dini, Alaa El-Din A. Bekhit, Shahin Roohinejad, Jim M. Vale and Dominic Agyei
Molecules 2024, 29(11), 2544; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29112544 - 28 May 2024
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 7350
Abstract
Surfactants, also known as surface-active agents, have emerged as an important class of compounds with a wide range of applications. However, the use of chemical-derived surfactants must be restricted due to their potential adverse impact on the ecosystem and the health of human [...] Read more.
Surfactants, also known as surface-active agents, have emerged as an important class of compounds with a wide range of applications. However, the use of chemical-derived surfactants must be restricted due to their potential adverse impact on the ecosystem and the health of human and other living organisms. In the past few years, there has been a growing inclination towards natural-derived alternatives, particularly microbial surfactants, as substitutes for synthetic or chemical-based counterparts. Microbial biosurfactants are abundantly found in bacterial species, predominantly Bacillus spp. and Pseudomonas spp. The chemical structures of biosurfactants involve the complexation of lipids with carbohydrates (glycolipoproteins and glycolipids), peptides (lipopeptides), and phosphates (phospholipids). Lipopeptides, in particular, have been the subject of extensive research due to their versatile properties, including emulsifying, antimicrobial, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory properties. This review provides an update on research progress in the classification of surfactants. Furthermore, it explores various bacterial biosurfactants and their functionalities, along with their advantages over synthetic surfactants. Finally, the potential applications of these biosurfactants in many industries and insights into future research directions are discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional and Bioactive Compounds in Foods: Chemical Complexities and Transformative Opportunities)
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