Structural Characteristics, Bioactivities and Mechanisms of Food-Derived Functional Compounds
A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Chemistry".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2026 | Viewed by 1
Special Issue Editors
Interests: polyphenols; polysaccharides; structural characterization; fresh-cut fruit and vegetable processing
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: polysaccharides; structural characterization; immunity; gut microbiota; intestinal health
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
In recent years, food-derived functional compounds have attracted growing attention due to their diverse biological activities and significant potential in promoting human health and preventing chronic diseases. These compounds—including polyphenols, peptides, polysaccharides, flavonoids, carotenoids, and other bioactive molecules—are widely distributed in natural food sources and play essential roles in nutrition, metabolism, and disease modulation.
Understanding the structural characteristics, bioactivities, and underlying mechanisms of food-derived functional compounds is crucial for developing functional foods, nutraceuticals, and therapeutic agents. Recent advances in analytical chemistry, molecular biology, and food science have enabled researchers to elucidate the complex interactions between structure and function, providing insights into how these compounds exert antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and metabolic regulatory effects.
This Special Issue aims to present recent progress and innovative research on the isolation, characterization, biological activities, and action mechanisms of food-derived functional compounds. We welcome original research articles and reviews that contribute to the understanding of structure–activity relationships, metabolic pathways, and the practical applications of these bioactives in food and health-related industries.
The topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:
- extraction, purification, and structural elucidation of food-derived functional compounds;
- structure–activity relationship and functional characterization of bioactive food components;
- mechanisms of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, or metabolic regulation activities;
- applications of food-derived compounds in functional foods, nutraceuticals, and pharmaceuticals;
- biotransformation, bioavailability, and metabolic fate of food bioactives;
- advanced analytical and omics-based approaches for studying bioactive compounds from foods.
This Special Issue, “Structural Characteristics, Bioactivities and Mechanisms of Food-Derived Functional Compounds,” aims to provide a platform for interdisciplinary discussion and collaboration, fostering new insights into the role of food bioactives in health promotion and disease prevention.
Dr. Juan Kan
Dr. Dan Chen
Guest Editors
Dr. Chao Tang
Guest Editor Assistant
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
- food-derived bioactive compounds
- structural characterization
- structure–activity relationship
- antioxidant activity
- anti-inflammatory activity
- antimicrobial mechanisms
- functional foods
- nutraceuticals
- bioavailability
- polysaccharides
- polyphenols
- peptides
- flavonoids
- carotenoids
- biotransformation
- molecular mechanisms
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.
