Bio-Based and Alternative Sources for Food Pigments and Bioactives Production

Dear Colleagues,

How alternative and innovative sources of natural, functional, and health-promoting bioactives can contribute to ensuring food security, better nutrition, improved livelihoods, and environmental sustainability in marginal environments in different parts of the world is the topic of this SI. The suitable and appropriate natural compounds from crops, plants, microorganisms, and other bio-based sources have been recognized for application in different fields such as functional food production and smart packaging systems. Natural bioactives and their implementation in the daily routine of people can be a key principle of health promotion and better quality of life. For example, natural pigments, such as carotenoids, belong to the most important components in foods. They have a great influence on the acceptability of many foods. In terms of human health, they are among the bioactive phytochemicals credited for reducing risks for degenerative diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, macular degeneration, and cataracts. Obtaining the pigments for plant waste materials or using microorganisms can be very important in the view of sustainability and the circular economy aspect of pigment production. The isolation or production of pigments on waste (industrial) effluents such as different fruit and plant materials, or yeasts or algae can be several times more efficient than chemical extraction. This SI aims to identify all possible alternative and sustainable ways for obtaining natural, functional, and health-promoting bioactives that have the potential to be used in food-related production.

In the recent past, bioactive compounds in general, and different alternative and innovation sources of bioactives in particular, have received renewed attention from engineers and biotechnologists around the world for the sustainable production of different functional and health-promoting products. Different plant and microbial materials have been reported as a “treasure source” for a variety of bioactive compounds and nutritional ingredients. However, only a handful of plants and microorganisms for a few bioactive compounds have been applied in the food industry. Continuous efforts have been made in various technologies, which are still developing.

Therefore, in this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Source of bioactive compounds (plant and microbial sources);
• Biowaste valorization: physical, chemical, and biological routes;
• Environmental engineering and sustainability;
• Sustainable solutions that imply using bioactives to overcome the problem in food production;
• Sustainable solutions for obtaining active packaging systems;
• Green economy and valorization of different wastes into value-added products;
• Applications of artificial intelligence to achieve a better understanding of biological activities of bioactive compounds;
• Circular economy and its role in reaching functional and health-promoting products.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Gordana Ćetković
Dr. Olja Lj Šovljanski
Guest Editors

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• bioactive compounds
• antimicrobial substances
• alternative crops
• antimicrobial activity
• biowaste
• bioactive compounds
• natural pigments
• antioxidant activity
• food
• antioxidants
• active packaging systems