Cereal Nutrients, Bioactive Compounds, and Their Health Impact

Abstract submission deadline

31 January 2027

Manuscript submission deadline

31 March 2027

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Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

Cereals (e.g., rice, wheat, barley, and maize) have been staple foods for millennia, providing essential macro- and micronutrients and a diverse range of bioactive compounds. Their macronutrient profile includes digestible and nondigestible carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids varying in amount and structure depending on the grain and process history. Cereals are important sources of B-vitamins, iron, zinc, and magnesium, with processing also playing a key role in their bioaccessibility. Beyond nutrients, cereals contain various bioactive compounds that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Research groups around the world are exploring additional compounds, health benefits, and responses to processing. This Topic aims to concentrate a portion of the current research on increased discoverability and impact.   

Dr. Elisa Karkle
Dr. Valentina Trinetta
Dr. Rosana Colussi
Dr. Ling Sun
Topic Editors

Keywords

Participating Journals

Journal Name	Impact Factor	CiteScore	Launched Year	First Decision (median)	APC
Agriculture agriculture	4.5	7.8	2011	17.4 Days	CHF 2600	Submit
Antioxidants antioxidants	8.2	14.7	2012	18.7 Days	CHF 2900	Submit
Crops crops	2.1	2.9	2021	20.7 Days	CHF 1200	Submit
Foods foods	6.0	10.3	2012	14.8 Days	CHF 2900	Submit
Nutraceuticals nutraceuticals	-	4.4	2021	24.9 Days	CHF 1200	Submit
Nutrients nutrients	5.8	10.2	2009	15.8 Days	CHF 2900	Submit

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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All Crops Foods Nutrients Antioxidants Nutraceuticals Agriculture

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Supplementary material:
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20 pages, 1928 KB  

Open AccessReview

Intergenerational Effects of Paternal Diets on Offspring Health and Reproduction

by Lirong Geng, Jiabin Zhang and Guitian He

Nutrients 2026, 18(18), 3008; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18183008 - 14 Sep 2026

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Abstract

Fat, protein, and micronutrients serve as essential components of human nutrition, and their balanced intake is critical for maintaining health. Chronic nutritional imbalances may adversely affect not only individual health but that of subsequent generations. Accumulating evidence indicates that paternal nutritional status before [...] Read more.

Fat, protein, and micronutrients serve as essential components of human nutrition, and their balanced intake is critical for maintaining health. Chronic nutritional imbalances may adversely affect not only individual health but that of subsequent generations. Accumulating evidence indicates that paternal nutritional status before conception contributes to offspring health through diet-induced alterations in sperm quality and epigenetic programming. The genetic integrity and physiological condition of sperm are susceptible to long-term dietary exposures, providing a potential biological basis for paternal nutritional programming. This review summarizes current evidence regarding the effects and potential molecular mechanisms by which paternal dietary patterns, including high-fat diet (HFD), low-protein diet (LPD), and folic acid (FA) intake, influence reproductive competence, embryonic development, and cognitive function in offspring. Notably, most available evidence is derived from animal models, whereas corresponding human data remain limited. Current findings suggest that paternal dietary patterns may influence reproductive, embryonic, and offspring outcomes through interconnected biological pathways involving sperm quality and epigenetic regulation, although the underlying mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. We also discuss potential intervention strategies evaluated in preclinical studies and highlight current knowledge gaps and future research priorities for understanding the intergenerational effects of paternal nutrition. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Cereal Nutrients, Bioactive Compounds, and Their Health Impact)

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19 pages, 3394 KB  

Open AccessArticle

Comparative Metabolomic Analysis Reveals the Varied Accumulations of Functional Nutrients in Differentially Pigmented Mung Bean Seeds

by Hubin Yan, Wei Gao, Huijun Zhu, Qian Wang, Qingting Hao, Jianjun Yan, Yaowen Zhang and Zeyan Zhang

Foods 2026, 15(17), 3020; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15173020 - 27 Aug 2026

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Abstract

Coat color is closely associated with the nutritional and functional properties of mung bean (Vigna radiata L.) seeds. However, the relationship between the coat color and efficiency in nutrients of mung bean seeds has not been clearly clarified. In this study, comparative [...] Read more.

Coat color is closely associated with the nutritional and functional properties of mung bean (Vigna radiata L.) seeds. However, the relationship between the coat color and efficiency in nutrients of mung bean seeds has not been clearly clarified. In this study, comparative metabolomic analysis, bioactive compounds’ content measurement, and antioxidant capacities’ (ABTS⁺, DPPH, FRAP) determinations were conducted on four distinct varieties with different seed coat colors (black: BL, yellow: YE, yellow-green: YG, green: GR). A total of 1544 metabolites were identified in these mung bean seeds, with amino acids and derivatives, flavonoids, phenolic acids, lipids, and terpenoids, as the top five classes with high relative signal abundance. BL was abundant in flavonoids (20.12%), flavonols, anthocyanins (with six anthocyanins accounting for 22.32–565.21-fold of that in other varieties), free fatty acids, and phenolic acid. YE accumulated more amino acids and derivatives (31.85%), isoflavones (with daidzein accounting for 1.97–9.34-fold of other varieties), flavones, and lignans/coumarins. Antioxidant capacity determination results showed that BL exhibited the strongest FRAP (p < 0.05), YG had the highest DPPH scavenging activity (p < 0.05), while YE showed numerically the highest ABTS⁺ scavenging capacity (p > 0.05). Notably, anthocyanin accumulation was positively correlated with FRAP, while isoflavone and amino acid accumulations were positively correlated with ABTS⁺ scavenging capacity. These findings suggested that the overall antioxidant activity of mung bean seeds was jointly regulated by multiple metabolite classes. This study elucidates seed metabolomic variations among mung bean varieties, providing insights for functional breeding and precision food development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Cereal Nutrients, Bioactive Compounds, and Their Health Impact)

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34 pages, 2323 KB  

Open AccessReview

Natural Products in the Metabolic and Endocrine Modulation of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Current Perspectives

by Siqi Liu, Rui Wang, Weili Yu, Chuanjing Shi, Xi Wang, Aifen Liu and Lei Zhang

Nutrients 2026, 18(6), 964; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18060964 - 18 Mar 2026

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2262

Abstract

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a prevalent endocrine and metabolic disorder, primarily characterized by reproductive dysfunction, insulin resistance (IR), and long-term metabolic complications. Current first-line pharmacological treatments, including oral contraceptives, anti-androgens, and insulin sensitizers, can alleviate clinical symptoms but often fail to fully [...] Read more.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a prevalent endocrine and metabolic disorder, primarily characterized by reproductive dysfunction, insulin resistance (IR), and long-term metabolic complications. Current first-line pharmacological treatments, including oral contraceptives, anti-androgens, and insulin sensitizers, can alleviate clinical symptoms but often fail to fully address the underlying pathophysiology, and their long-term use is frequently limited by adverse effects. Natural products, owing to their multi-target regulatory properties and favorable safety profiles, have emerged a promising adjuvant therapeutic strategy. This review systematically summarizes how natural products exert beneficial effects through mechanisms such as improving metabolic homeostasis by enhancing insulin sensitivity and mitigating oxidative stress and chronic inflammation; restoring endocrine balance by modulating the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis to reduce hyperandrogenemia and promote ovulation; and utilizing emerging pathways including regulating gut microbiota homeostasis and epigenetic modifications as a novel avenue for PCOS drug development. Preclinical and clinical evidence collectively indicates that these agents hold significant translational potential to ameliorate metabolic disturbances and improve reproductive outcomes, providing a scientific foundation for future integrated intervention strategies in PCOS. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Cereal Nutrients, Bioactive Compounds, and Their Health Impact)

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