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Nutritional Attributes and Health Implications of Novel, Non-Conventional, and Reformulated Foods

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 July 2026 | Viewed by 1248

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Laboratorio de Higiene Inspección y Control de Alimentos, Departamento de Química Analítica, Nutrición y Bromatología, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Lugo, Spain
Interests: food additives and contaminants; metagenomics; gut microbiota; capillary electrophoresis; tandem mass spectrometry
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Due to the increase in the worldwide population and consumers’ desires to sample new culinary experiences, in recent years there has been an increase in the marketing of foods that have not been previously consumed on a regular basis. For example, in Western populations, the consumption of macro- or microalgae, insects, or vegetables from non-Western countries is becoming increasingly common.

Also, due to consumers' resistance to changing their usual consumption habits, food reformulation has been adopted as one of the most common strategies for bringing consumers' usual diets closer to the recommendations of experts and health authorities.

However, work is being carried out to study the effects that the introduction of these foods has on diet, physiology, and the possible prevention of metabolic diseases.

Therefore, the purpose of this Special Issue is to publish results on the nutritional properties of these new foods and their effects on human health. These include novel foods, unconventional foods introduced to a population group, and foods that have been reformulated to improve or modify their organoleptic or nutritional properties. Both in vitro and in vivo trials, as well as review papers and meta-analyses, are welcome.

Dr. Jose M. Miranda
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • novel foods
  • non-conventional foods
  • functional foods
  • reformulated foods
  • bioactive compounds
  • anti-nutritive factors
  • human nutrition
  • metabolic diseases

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 894 KB  
Article
Xanthophyll-Rich Extracts from Garcinia dulcis Pulp as Potential Anti-Hepatocellular Carcinoma Functional Food
by Ulfa Kholili, Aji Bayu Wicaksono, Amal Arifi Hidayat, Ugroseno Yudho Bintoro, Soetjipto Soetjipto, Aryati Aryati, Muhammad Zulfikar Fiko Defianto and Muhammad Miftahussurur
Nutrients 2026, 18(4), 670; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18040670 - 18 Feb 2026
Viewed by 426
Abstract
Introduction: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver malignancy and remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Despite recent advances in immunotherapy and targeted agents, treatment efficacy is frequently limited by tumor heterogeneity, drug resistance, and systemic toxicity. Natural products, [...] Read more.
Introduction: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver malignancy and remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Despite recent advances in immunotherapy and targeted agents, treatment efficacy is frequently limited by tumor heterogeneity, drug resistance, and systemic toxicity. Natural products, particularly carotenoid-derived compounds, have emerged as promising multi-target anticancer agents. Xanthophylls, a class of oxygenated carotenoids, exhibit pleiotropic biological activities that are relevant to cancer therapy; however, their potential against HCC remains incompletely explored. This study aimed to systematically evaluate the anti-HCC potential of xanthophyll-rich extracts from Garcinia dulcis pulp using integrated metabolomic, in silico, and in vitro approaches. Methods: Xanthophyll-rich extracts from G. dulcis pulp were prepared using microwave-assisted extraction. Phytochemical profiling was performed using UHPLC–ESI–MS/MS. In silico analyses included bioactivity prediction, ADMET profiling, target identification, network pharmacology, pathway enrichment, and molecular docking against key HCC-related proteins (EGFR, BCL-2, and mTOR). In vitro antiproliferative activity was assessed using MTT assays on HepG2 and Huh7 hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines, with THLE-2 normal hepatocytes used as controls. Results: Metabolomic analysis revealed a xanthophyll-dominated profile, with zeaxanthin and lutein as the major constituents, alongside fucoxanthin, astaxanthin, β-cryptoxanthin, β-carotene, and canthaxanthin. In silico predictions demonstrated high antineoplastic and pro-apoptotic activities, with strong involvement in the HIF-1, EGFR, PD-1/PD-L1, JAK–STAT, and mTOR signaling pathways. Molecular docking confirmed stable and high-affinity interactions of xanthophylls with EGFR, BCL-2, and mTOR. In vitro assays showed selective cytotoxicity against HCC cells, with IC50 values of 42.8 ± 3.6 µg/mL (HepG2) and 58.4 ± 4.9 µg/mL (Huh7), while exhibiting significantly lower toxicity toward normal hepatocytes. Conclusions: Xanthophyll-rich extracts from Garcinia dulcis pulp exhibit potent and selective anti-hepatocellular carcinoma activity through multi-target mechanisms involving oncogenic signaling, apoptosis regulation, and tumor metabolism. These findings support the translational potential of G. dulcis xanthophylls as promising natural candidates for further development in HCC therapy. Full article
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Review

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34 pages, 3119 KB  
Review
Cinnamon-Derived Phytonutrients as Modulators of Ion Channels and G Protein-Coupled Receptor Signaling in Metabolic Diseases
by Raymond Rubianto Tjandrawinata, Bayu Perkasa Rosari, Rony Abdi Syahputra, Reggie Surya and Fahrul Nurkolis
Nutrients 2026, 18(3), 547; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18030547 - 6 Feb 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 651
Abstract
Metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and obesity are increasingly recognized as disorders of dysregulated cellular communication rather than solely enzymatic or transcriptional dysfunction. While conventional therapies primarily target metabolic enzymes and nuclear receptors, growing evidence highlights ion channels and G protein-coupled [...] Read more.
Metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and obesity are increasingly recognized as disorders of dysregulated cellular communication rather than solely enzymatic or transcriptional dysfunction. While conventional therapies primarily target metabolic enzymes and nuclear receptors, growing evidence highlights ion channels and G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) at the cell membrane as critical upstream regulators of glucose homeostasis, energy expenditure, and inflammation. Cinnamon (Cinnamomum spp.), a widely consumed nutraceutical, has demonstrated consistent antidiabetic and antiobesity effects; however, its actions at the membrane signaling interface remain underappreciated. This review synthesizes emerging evidence that cinnamon-derived phytonutrients, particularly cinnamaldehyde, eugenol, and polyphenolic compounds, modulate key ion channels and GPCR pathways involved in metabolic regulation. We discuss how cinnamon influences calcium signaling, transient receptor potential (TRP) channels, and metabolite- and hormone-sensing GPCRs, thereby affecting insulin secretion, incretin release, appetite control, thermogenesis, and inflammatory tone. A central highlight of this review is the crosstalk between ion channels and GPCRs in metabolic tissues, illustrating a systems-level mechanism through which cinnamon exerts pleiotropic metabolic benefits. Translational implications are explored, including the potential of cinnamon to complement existing antidiabetic therapies and its relevance within precision nutrition frameworks. By focusing on the cell membrane as an integrative signaling hub, this review reframes cinnamon as a membrane-active nutraceutical capable of restoring metabolic balance through coordinated modulation of ion channel GPCR networks. Full article
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