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The Health Benefits of Nutrients and Bioactive Compounds in Functional Foods and Beverages

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Nutrition and Public Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 5 June 2025 | Viewed by 5075

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Faculty of Environmental Protection, University of Oradea, 26 Gen. Magheru Street, 410087 Oradea, Romania
Interests: bioactive compounds; phenols; glucosinolates; functional food; nutraceuticals; antioxidant capacity
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Functional foods are novel food products that have been carefully developed to incorporate essential nutrients, dietary fiber, bioactive compounds, probiotics, or other substances that have the potential to improve overall health and minimize the risk of various diseases. The functional foods and beverages market is expanding as a result of their positive impact on human health.

Consumers have an attraction for food products that are both safe and supported by high-quality research studies. The aim of this Special Issue is to collect significant scientific data regarding the biochemical composition of functional foods and beverages, as well as their confirmed beneficial impacts observed in in vitro and in vivo research studies and clinical trials.

As the Guest Editor of this Special Issue, I encourage scientists to publish their experimental and theoretical interdisciplinary research on nutrients and bioactive compounds from functional foods and beverages, with an emphasis on their bioactivity, bioavailability, and biological effects.

Prof. Dr. Simona Ioana Vicas
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • nutrients
  • bioactive compounds
  • probiotics
  • functional food
  • functional beverage
  • antioxidant capacity
  • bioavailability
  • health benefits

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 2837 KiB  
Article
Content-Related Quality Control of Water- and Fat-Soluble Vitamins in Fortified Non-Alcoholic Beverages
by Žane Temova Rakuša and Robert Roškar
Nutrients 2024, 16(22), 3872; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16223872 - 13 Nov 2024
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Abstract
Background/Objectives: Vitamin-fortified non-alcoholic beverages (VFNABs) are rising in popularity and availability. However, owing to their regulation as foods, there are also growing quality and safety concerns. Therefore, we aimed to provide an overview of the content-related quality of VFNABs on the Slovenian market. [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Vitamin-fortified non-alcoholic beverages (VFNABs) are rising in popularity and availability. However, owing to their regulation as foods, there are also growing quality and safety concerns. Therefore, we aimed to provide an overview of the content-related quality of VFNABs on the Slovenian market. Methods: Vitamin contents in 50 VFNABs (29 waters, 5 juices, 12 energy drinks, and 4 instant drinks) were determined using validated methods based on liquid chromatography. Results: The results revealed several quality issues, which were determined in all four VFNAB types. These included an indication of at least one vitamin, present in a lower-than-significant amount, on the nutrition declaration in 64% of the tested VFNABs and vitamin contents outside the tolerance interval (65–150% of the label claim) in almost half of the cases (48.4%, n = 244). Since the disclosed quality issues are not only a reason for the misleading of consumers but may also pose safety risks for both individuals and public health, we further performed an overall assessment of the VFNABs as vitamin sources. The results revealed that the tested VFNABs not only fully cover but in several cases considerably exceed daily vitamin needs (up to 616% of the reference values), an effect which is further accentuated in children. Conclusions: The performed content-related quality control study undoubtedly highlight the need for stricter quality control and regulation and can be utilized as a foundation and recommendation for the manufacturers in terms of committing to and pursuing the production of VFNABs. Full article
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12 pages, 700 KiB  
Article
Probiotic Milk and Oat Beverages with Increased Protein Content: Survival of Probiotic Bacteria Under Simulated In Vitro Digestion Conditions
by Małgorzata Pawlos, Katarzyna Szajnar and Agata Znamirowska-Piotrowska
Nutrients 2024, 16(21), 3673; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16213673 - 29 Oct 2024
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Abstract
Background: The increasing prevalence of plant-based dietary preferences, driven by lactose intolerance, allergies, and adherence to vegan diets, has necessitated the exploration of alternative food matrices for probiotic delivery. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of whey protein isolate, pea protein [...] Read more.
Background: The increasing prevalence of plant-based dietary preferences, driven by lactose intolerance, allergies, and adherence to vegan diets, has necessitated the exploration of alternative food matrices for probiotic delivery. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of whey protein isolate, pea protein isolate, and soy protein isolate on the viability of L. casei and L. johnsonii during simulated in vitro gastrointestinal digestion. Furthermore, the study investigated the impact of two distinct matrices—cow’s milk and an oat-based beverage—on the survival of these probiotic strains. Fermented products were prepared using cow’s milk and an oat-based beverage as matrices, with simulated digestion performed following a seven-day storage period at 5 °C. The in vitro digestion model encompassed oral, gastric, and small intestinal phases, with probiotic viability assessed using the plate-deep method at each stage. Methods: Before digestion, L. casei exhibited higher populations than L. johnsonii in both matrices. Including 3% soy and pea protein, isolates promoted the growth of L. casei in both fermented milk and oat beverages. However, a marked reduction in probiotic viability was observed during the gastric phase, with L. casei counts decreasing by 6.4–7.8 log cfu g−1 in fermented milk and 3.1–4 log cfu g−1 in oat beverages, while L. johnsonii demonstrated similar reductions. Conclusion: These findings underscore the protective role of dairy components on probiotic viability, while the oat-based matrix exhibited a reduced capacity for sustaining probiotic populations throughout digestion. Future research should focus on optimizing plant-based matrices to enhance probiotic stability during gastrointestinal transit. Full article
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Review

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17 pages, 1414 KiB  
Review
Effects of Chicken Egg Powder, Bovine Colostrum, and Combination Therapy for the Treatment of Gastrointestinal Disorders
by Raymond John Playford
Nutrients 2024, 16(21), 3684; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16213684 - 29 Oct 2024
Viewed by 1616
Abstract
Natural-based products are of interest to the pharmaceutical industry as potential sources of novel medicinal compounds. They are also used by consumers/patients as standalone therapies or as an adjunct to Western medicines. Two natural-based products of interest are chicken egg and bovine colostrum [...] Read more.
Natural-based products are of interest to the pharmaceutical industry as potential sources of novel medicinal compounds. They are also used by consumers/patients as standalone therapies or as an adjunct to Western medicines. Two natural-based products of interest are chicken egg and bovine colostrum (the milk produced in the first few days following calving). Both products are rich in immunoglobulins, antimicrobial peptides, growth factors, and macro- and micro-nutrients. In vitro, in vivo, and a limited number of clinical studies suggest therapeutic benefits of both components given alone and together. Combination therapy is of particular interest, as preclinical studies suggest synergistic effects on growth, repair, and gut protection, including microbiome-induced damage. This article describes the main constituents of egg and bovine colostrum, studies of their use alone and together for a wide range of conditions, highlights areas requiring further research, and describes novel indications such as GLP-1-associated gut symptoms. While well placed in the food supplement arena, additional high-quality clinical trials are required to establish their benefits in clinical practice. Full article
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