Berries and Health: Bioactive Compounds in Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals

Dear Colleagues,

Berries are rich sources of bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols, anthocyanins, and dietary fiber, with recognized antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and gut-modulating properties. However, a gap persists between the development of specific functional foods and the evidence supporting their nutritional potential.

This Special Issue aims to highlight advances in the following areas:

• Development of innovative berry-based functional foods (e.g., fortified snacks, beverages, baked goods, dairy products, and nutraceuticals).
• Validation of health-related functionalities, for instance antioxidant activity, enzyme inhibition (e.g., α-glucosidase, pancreatic lipase), antiplatelet activity, microbiota modulation, or anti-inflammatory effects in relevant models, among others.
• Technological and methodological approaches such as encapsulation, novel processing technologies, and in vitro gastrointestinal digestion models.
• Development of functional foods and nutraceuticals from by-products derived from berry processing.

We encourage original research that report the design of specific berry-based functional foods or nutraceuticals together with the demonstration (at least through in vitro techniques) of specific bioactivities. Manuscripts solely evaluating the functional potential of liquid extracts derived from berries or berry by-products will not be considered for acceptance.

Dr. Daniela Salvatori
Dr. Paula Andrea Sette
Guest Editors

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