Analyses and Applications of Phenolic Compounds in Food

Dear Colleagues,

Phenolic compounds are well-known for their antioxidant and free-radical-scavenging abilities, as well as different health properties, including anti-inflammatory, antitumor, and hypoglycaemic properties, among others. Due to these countless positive effects on human health, researchers have intensified their study with the aim of discovering food matrices rich in this class of phytochemicals or agro-industrial residues that can be used as sources of phenols. Moreover, different kinds of products can be functionalized with this class of phytochemicals. Indeed, phenolic compounds have been extensively investigated for their possible applications in the food industry for improving the shelf life of perishable products. In fact, phenols are also able to exert antimicrobial activities, by the capacity to slow the microbial invasion in some products and avoiding the putrefaction of others, mainly in fruits and vegetables. For this reason, several bio-based and synthetic polymers are being functionalized with phenolic compounds to prolong shelf life when used directly in contact with the food matrix as part of combined strategies. However, in food applications, phenolic compounds could be influenced by other food components, processing, and storage conditions. The use of phenolic compounds from natural sources in food is an interesting opportunity for the application and exploitation of their biological activities and allows the production of food without synthetic additives for consumers. This is because the current concern about the impact of food on health influences consumer choices of food based on its formulation. In addition, the distribution and content of phenolic compounds in plant-based food products depend on multiple parameters, such as geographical areas, variety and manufacturing practices. Thus, contents on phenolics can be exploited as a source of analytical data to establish product classification and solve authenticity issues. Several analytical techniques are developed for the extraction and analysis of phenolic compounds. The focus of this Special Issue is to collect and discuss conventional and innovative analytical techniques for food phenolics investigations, as well as their possible applications as food preservatives or functional ingredients for the development of functional food, active food packaging and in food classification and authentication studies.

Prof. Dr. Monica Rosa Loizzo
Dr. Ana Teresa Sanches-Silva
Prof. Dr. Oscar Núñez
Guest Editors

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