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Bioactive Compounds in Foods: Functional Properties, Health Benefits and Disease Prevention

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A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Nutraceuticals, Functional Foods, and Novel Foods".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 May 2024) | Viewed by 11058

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Annalisa Chiavaroli

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Guest Editor

Department of Pharmacy, “G. d'Annunzio” University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
Interests: food compounds; pharma-toxicological evaluation of herbal extracts and natural compounds
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Giustino Orlando

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Guest Editor

Department of Pharmacy, University of G. d'Annunzio Chieti and Pescara, Chieti, Italy
Interests: food compounds; bioactive extracts; inflammation; oxidative metabolic diseases
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to invite you to submit original articles for publication in this Special Issue of Foods, entitled: “Bioactive Compounds in Foods: Functional Properties, Health Benefits and Disease Prevention”.

Novel foods and their ingredients are actually required to reduce, prevent and treat chronic, inflammatory and metabolic diseases and promote health.

The goal of this Special Issue is to deepen knowledge on the conscious use of food, with particular reference paid to biactive compounds. Including natural products and also extracted from high-quality by-products, these can exert anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.

In this regard, the investigations presented should include detailed analyses attesting to the protective role of foods and their components, together with an accurate evaluation of qualitative and quantitative chemical compositions.

In particular, biological and pharmacological research should also contain an examination of the beneficial activities exerted through both in vitro (i.e., cell cultures, pathogen microbiological strains, isolated tissue) and in vivo models and include preclinical and clinical data based on validated and reproducible models. Particular attention will be given to the chemical composition of the examined products.

Potential authors are strongly invited to submit papers reporting on the identification and quantification of food compounds through chromatographic and/or spectroscopic analyses.

In addition, researchers are encouraged to submit investigations into the characterization of cytotoxicity determination, mechanism of actions, pharmaco-toxicological evaluations as well as bioinformatics approaches based on target–component analysis, in particular for bioactive extracts from foods.

Dr. Annalisa Chiavaroli
Dr. Giustino Orlando
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

bioactive compounds
bioactive extracts
oxidative stress
inflammation
metabolic diseases

Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

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22 pages, 1800 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sorghum Grain Polyphenolic Extracts Demonstrate Neuroprotective Effects Related to Alzheimer’s Disease in Cellular Assays

by Nasim Rezaee, Eugene Hone, Hamid R. Sohrabi, Stuart Johnson, Leizhou Zhong, Prakhar Chatur, Stuart Gunzburg, Ralph N. Martins and W. M. A. D. Binosha Fernando

Foods 2024, 13(11), 1716; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13111716 - 30 May 2024

Viewed by 252

Abstract

Sorghum grain contains high levels and a diverse profile of polyphenols (PPs), which are antioxidants known to reduce oxidative stress when consumed in the diet. Oxidative stress leading to amyloid-β (Aβ) aggregation, neurotoxicity, and mitochondrial dysfunction is implicated in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Thus, PPs have gained attention as possible therapeutic agents for combating AD. This study aimed to (a) quantify the phenolic compounds (PP) and antioxidant capacities in extracts from six different varieties of sorghum grain and (b) investigate whether these PP extracts exhibit any protective effects on human neuroblastoma (BE(2)-M17) cells against Aβ- and tau-induced toxicity, Aβ aggregation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced by Aβ and tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP). PP and antioxidant capacity were quantified using chemical assays. Aβ- and tau-induced toxicity was determined using the 3-(4,5-dimenthylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-dimethyltetrazolium bromide (MTS) assay. The thioflavin T (Th-T) assay assessed anti-Aβ aggregation. The dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (DCFDA) assay determined the levels of general ROS and the MitoSOX assay determined the levels of mitochondrial superoxide. Sorghum varieties Shawaya short black-1 and IS1311C possessed the highest levels of total phenolics, total flavonoids, and antioxidant capacity, and sorghum varieties differed significantly in their profile of individual PPs. All extracts significantly increased cell viability compared to the control (minus extract). Variety QL33 (at 2000 µg sorghum flour equivalents/mL) showed the strongest protective effect with a 28% reduction in Aβ-toxicity cell death. The extracts of all sorghum varieties significantly reduced Aβ aggregation. All extracts except that from variety B923296 demonstrated a significant (p ≤ 0.05) downregulation of Aβ-induced and TBHP-induced ROS and mitochondrial superoxide relative to the control (minus extract) in a dose- and variety-dependent manner. We have demonstrated for the first time that sorghum polyphenolic extracts show promising neuroprotective effects against AD, which indicates the potential of sorghum foods to exert a similar beneficial property in the human diet. However, further analysis in other cellular models and in vivo is needed to confirm these effects. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Compounds in Foods: Functional Properties, Health Benefits and Disease Prevention)

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17 pages, 4902 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Postbiotics from Lactobacillus delbrueckii Alleviate Intestinal Inflammation by Promoting the Expansion of Intestinal Stem Cells in S. Typhimurium-Induced Mice

by Mengting Wang, Yuting Ren, Xin Guo, Yanxin Ye, Haining Zhu, Jiaqi Zhang, Zan Huang and Kaifan Yu

Foods 2024, 13(6), 874; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13060874 - 14 Mar 2024

Viewed by 932

Abstract

Previous studies have demonstrated that L. delbrueckii plays beneficial roles in modulating the gut microbiota, enhancing the intestinal barrier, and promoting animal growth. Postbiotics have a similar or even superior effect in protecting intestinal health compared to probiotics due to their excellent stability, extended shelf life, and safety. However, the protective effects and underlying mechanism of postbiotics from L. delbrueckii in intestinal inflammation remain unclear. In this study, we demonstrated the beneficial impact of postbiotics from L. delbrueckii on intestinal health by establishing a S. Typhimurium-induced intestinal inflammation model in mice, which included inactivated bacteria and supernatant. The results revealed that the probiotics and postbiotics from L. delbrueckii increased the survival rate and body weight of S. Typhimurium-induced mice, increased the level of IL-10, and decreased the levels of TNF-α and IL-6, thereby alleviating intestinal inflammation. Meanwhile, treatment with postbiotics decreased the levels of D-LA, DAO, and LPS and promoted the expression of Occludin, ZO-1, and Claudin-1 in the serum and jejunum, suggesting an improvement in intestinal barrier function by postbiotics. Additionally, the postbiotics modulated gut microbial diversity, increased the ratio of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes, and restored the abundance of Muribaculaceae, Lachnospiraceae_NK4a136_groups, and Alloprevotella in S. Typhimurium-infected mice. Moreover, postbiotics from L. delbrueckii promoted the expansion of intestinal stem cells (ISCs) and increased the numbers of Paneth and Goblet cells. Taken together, these data revealed the beneficial role of postbiotics from L. delbrueckii in protecting against intestinal inflammation by promoting the expansion of ISCs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Compounds in Foods: Functional Properties, Health Benefits and Disease Prevention)

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20 pages, 3939 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Exploring the Bioactive Potential of Calostoma insigne, an Endangered Culinary Puffball Mushroom, from Northeastern Thailand

by Worachot Saengha, Thipphiya Karirat, Nathanon Pitisin, Supawadee Plangklang, Luchai Butkhup, Piyachat Udomwong, Nyuk Ling Ma, Ampa Konsue, Pornwipa Chanthaket, Teeraporn Katisart and Vijitra Luang-In

Foods 2024, 13(1), 113; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13010113 - 28 Dec 2023

Viewed by 1216

Abstract

Calostoma insigne puffball mushrooms are only found in forests with rich biodiversity in very few countries including Thailand, and their biofunctions remain largely unexplored. This study used the agar disk diffusion assay, the anti-glucosidase assay, and the 3, 4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl-2-5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay to evaluate the bioactive potential of these endangered puffball mushrooms. Internal transcribed spacer (ITS) gene analysis identified C. insigne, a puffball mushroom with green, globose, and spiny spores. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis confirmed the polysaccharide structure while scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed a fiber-like network. The ethanolic gelatinous fruiting body extract exhibited 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH)-scavenging capacity (57.96%), a ferric ion-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) value of 1.73 mg FeSO₄/g, and α-glucosidase inhibition (73.18%). C. insigne cytotoxicity was effective towards HT-29 colon cancer cells using the MTT assay (IC₅₀ of 770.6 µg/mL at 72 h) and also showed antiproliferative capacity (IC₅₀ of 297.1 µg/mL). This puffball mushroom stimulated apoptotic genes and proteins (caspase-3, Bax, and p21) via an intrinsic apoptotic pathway in HT-29 cells. In the laboratory, the medium formula consisting of 20% potato, 2% sucrose, and 0.2% peptone was optimal to increase fungal mycelial biomass (2.74 g DW/100 mL), with propagation at pH 5.0 and 30 °C. Puffball mushrooms are consumed as local foods and also confer several potential health benefits, making them worthy of conservation for sustainable utilization. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Compounds in Foods: Functional Properties, Health Benefits and Disease Prevention)

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17 pages, 9690 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Exploring In Vitro the Combination of Cistus × incanus L. and Castanea sativa Mill. Extracts as Food Supplement Ingredients against H. pylori Infection

by Giulia Martinelli, Marco Fumagalli, Carola Pozzoli, Giovanna Nicotra, Silvia Francesca Vicentini, Nicole Maranta, Enrico Sangiovanni, Mario Dell’Agli and Stefano Piazza

Foods 2024, 13(1), 40; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13010040 - 21 Dec 2023

Viewed by 978

Abstract

Cistus spp. have been traditionally used for inflammatory and infectious disorders, including gastrointestinal ailments, in the Mediterranean area. Among them, Cistus × incanus L. is one of the most frequently cited species in the literature for a variety of biological activities which include inflammatory diseases. Cistus spp. aerial parts are rich in polyphenols such as condensed and hydrolysable tannins, procyanidins, and flavonoids, which show gastroprotective activities. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the biological activities of a hydroalcoholic extract from Cistus × incanus L. aerial parts in gastric epithelial cells (GES-1) infected with H. pylori. The extracts inhibited IL-8 and NF-κB induced by H. pylori and showed antibacterial activity after simulated digestion. Since our previous paper reported interesting results on the ability of Castanea sativa Mill. leaf extract to decrease inflammatory conditions in H. pylori-infected gastric cells, the combination of Castanea sativa and Cistus × incanus extracts was also investigated, showing strong anti-inflammatory activity and inhibition of bacterial adhesion. This association of botanicals is proposed herein as a novel food supplement capable of counteracting gastric inflammatory conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Compounds in Foods: Functional Properties, Health Benefits and Disease Prevention)

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16 pages, 1829 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Exploring for HPLC-MS/MS Profiles and Biological Activities of Different Extracts from Allium lycaonicum Siehe ex Hayek from Turkey Flora

by Sakina Yagi, Nilofar, Gokhan Zengin, Evren Yildiztugay, Giovanni Caprioli, Diletta Piatti, Luigi Menghini, Claudio Ferrante, Simonetta Cristina Di Simone, Annalisa Chiavaroli and Filippo Maggi

Foods 2023, 12(24), 4507; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12244507 - 17 Dec 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 881

Abstract

The present study was designed to determine the phenolic constituents, antioxidant, and enzyme inhibition activities of aerial parts and bulbs of Allium lycaonicum (family Amaryllidaceae). Extracts were prepared by maceration and Soxhlet/infusion using hexane, methanol, and water as extraction solvents. Generally, extracts from the aerial parts showed higher total phenolic and individual components and antioxidant activity than their respective bulb extracts. Maceration with water was the best to extract total phenolic content from the aerial parts (29.00 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g), while the Soxhlet extraction with hexane (22.29 mg GAE/g) was the best for the bulb. Maceration with methanol recovered the highest total flavonoid content from both the aerial parts (41.95 mg (rutin equivalents (RE)/g) and bulb (1.83 mg RE/g). Polar extracts of aerial parts were characterized by higher abundance of kaempferol-3-glucoside (≤20,624.27 µg/mg), hyperoside (≤19,722.76 µg/g), isoquercitrin (≤17,270.70 µg/g), delphindin-3,5-diglucoside (≤14,625.21 µg/g), and rutin (≤10,901.61 µg/g) than the bulb. Aerial parts’ aqueous extract, prepared by maceration, exerted the highest anti-ABTS (2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical activity (64.09 mg trolox equivalents (TE)/g), Cu⁺⁺ (83.03 mg TE/g) and Fe⁺⁺⁺ (63.03 mg TE/g) reducing capacity while that prepared by infusion recorded the highest anti-DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radical (31.70 mg TE/g) and metal chelating (27.66 mg EDTAE/g) activities. The highest total antioxidant activity (1.46 mmol TE/g) was obtained by maceration of the bulb with water. Extracts obtained by organic solvents showed remarkable enzyme inhibition properties against the tested enzymes. Soxhlet extraction of the bulb with hexane and methanol recorded the highest acetylcholinesterase inhibition (4.75 mg galanthamine equivalents (GALAE)/g) and tyrosinase inhibition (139.95 mg kojic acid equivalents/g) activities, respectively. Extracts obtained by maceration of the bulb with methanol and the aerial parts with hexane exerted the highest glucosidase inhibition (3.25 mmol acarbose equivalents/g) and butyrylcholinesterase inhibition (20.99 mg GALAE/g) activities, respectively. These data indicated that A. lycaonicum is a source of bioactive molecules with potential antioxidant and enzyme inhibition properties. Nonetheless, the extracts obtained through various solvents and extraction techniques showed variations in their phytoconstituent composition and biological properties. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Compounds in Foods: Functional Properties, Health Benefits and Disease Prevention)

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12 pages, 1419 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Antibacterial and Antiviral Properties of Pinus densiflora Essential Oil

by Yu Jin Oh, Yeong-Su Kim, Jae Woo Kim and Dae Wook Kim

Foods 2023, 12(23), 4279; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12234279 - 27 Nov 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1167

Abstract

The Korean mountains are home to the Korean red pine (Pinus densiflora). Pine needle oil has been used as a food additive and a traditional herbal medicine; however, any health-related properties of its trunk oil remain unknown. Herein, we assessed antibacterial and antiviral properties of essential oil extracted from the trunk of P. densiflora. Th extracted oil was hydrodistilled using a Clevenger apparatus and analyzed using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The antimicrobial activity of the oil was tested using the microbroth dilution technique against 10 bacterial species (6 g-positive and 4 g-negative) and fungi. The extract exerted strong antimicrobial activity against Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Bacillus cereus, Listeria monocytogenes, Propionibacterium acnes, and Malassezia furfur (minimum inhibitory concentration = 10 mL/L). Additionally, it exhibited dose-dependent activity against influenza virus A and feline coronavirus. Furthermore, among 20 identified constituents accounting for 98.7% of the oil contents, the major components included 3-cyclohexene-1-methanol (10.12%), 2-(4-methylcyclohexyl)-2-propanol (9.09%), fenchone (8.14%), O-isopropyltoluene (6.35%), and isothymol methyl ether (6.14%). The P. densiflora trunk essential oil showed antibacterial and antiviral activities that depended on its chemical composition and the microbial strains tested herein. The essential oil can be used as an antimicrobial agent and disinfectant. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Compounds in Foods: Functional Properties, Health Benefits and Disease Prevention)

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Review

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13 pages, 1669 KiB

Open AccessReview

Supercritical Extraction Techniques for Obtaining Biologically Active Substances from a Variety of Plant Byproducts

by Filip Herzyk, Dorota Piłakowska-Pietras and Małgorzata Korzeniowska

Foods 2024, 13(11), 1713; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13111713 - 30 May 2024

Viewed by 262

Abstract

Supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) techniques have garnered significant attention as green and sustainable methods for obtaining biologically active substances from a diverse array of plant byproducts. This paper comprehensively reviews the use of supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) in obtaining bioactive compounds from various plant residues, including pomace, seeds, skins, and other agricultural byproducts. The main purpose of supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) is the selective isolation and recovery of compounds, such as polyphenols, essential oils, vitamins, and antioxidants, that have significant health-promoting properties. Using supercritical carbon dioxide as the solvent, supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) not only eliminates the need for hazardous organic solvents, e.g., ethanol, and methanol, but also protects heat-sensitive bioactive compounds. Moreover, this green extraction technique contributes to waste valorisation by converting plant byproducts into value-added extracts with potential applications in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. This review highlights the advantages of SFE, including its efficiency, eco-friendliness, and production of residue-free extracts, while discussing potential challenges and future prospects for the utilisation of SFE in obtaining biologically active substances from plant byproducts. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Compounds in Foods: Functional Properties, Health Benefits and Disease Prevention)

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33 pages, 1587 KiB

Open AccessReview

Nutritional Characteristics, Health Impact, and Applications of Kefir

by Oladayo Emmanuel Apalowo, Grace Adeola Adegoye, Teresia Mbogori, Jayanthi Kandiah and Tolulope Mobolaji Obuotor

Foods 2024, 13(7), 1026; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13071026 - 27 Mar 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2523

Abstract

A global epidemiological shift has been observed in recent decades, characterized by an increase in age-related disorders, notably non-communicable chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, and cancer. An appreciable causal link between changes in the gut microbiota and the onset of these maladies has been recognized, offering an avenue for effective management. Kefir, a probiotic-enriched fermented food, has gained significance in this setting due to its promising resource for the development of functional or value-added food formulations and its ability to reshape gut microbial composition. This has led to increasing commercial interest worldwide as it presents a natural beverage replete with health-promoting microbes and several bioactive compounds. Given the substantial role of the gut microbiota in human health and the etiology of several diseases, we conducted a comprehensive synthesis covering a total of 33 investigations involving experimental animal models, aimed to elucidate the regulatory influence of bioactive compounds present in kefir on gut microbiota and their potential in promoting optimal health. This review underscores the outstanding nutritional properties of kefir as a central repository of bioactive compounds encompassing micronutrients and amino acids and delineates their regulatory effects at deficient, adequate, and supra-nutritional intakes on the gut microbiota and their broader physiological consequences. Furthermore, an investigation of putative mechanisms that govern the regulatory effects of kefir on the gut microbiota and its connections with various human diseases was discussed, along with potential applications in the food industry. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Compounds in Foods: Functional Properties, Health Benefits and Disease Prevention)

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21 pages, 340 KiB

Open AccessReview

Grape Pomace—Advances in Its Bioactivity, Health Benefits, and Food Applications

by Angélica Almanza-Oliveros, Israel Bautista-Hernández, Cecilia Castro-López, Pedro Aguilar-Zárate, Zahidd Meza-Carranco, Romeo Rojas, Mariela R. Michel and Guillermo Cristian G. Martínez-Ávila

Foods 2024, 13(4), 580; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13040580 - 14 Feb 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2077

Abstract

From a circular economy perspective, the appropriate management and valorization of winery wastes and by-products are crucial for sustainable development. Nowadays, grape pomace (GP) has attracted increasing interest within the food field due to its valuable content, comprising nutritional and bioactive compounds (e.g., polyphenols, organic and fatty acids, vitamins, etc.). Particularly, GP polyphenols have been recognized as exhibiting technological and health-promoting effects in different food and biological systems. Hence, GP valorization is a step toward offering new functional foods and contributing to solving waste management problems in the wine industry. On this basis, the use of GP as a food additive/ingredient in the development of novel products with technological and functional advantages has recently been proposed. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the bioactivity and health-promoting effects of polyphenolic-rich extracts from GP samples. Advances in GP incorporation into food formulations (enhancement of physicochemical, sensory, and nutritional quality) and information supporting the intellectual property related to GP potential applications in the food industry are also discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Compounds in Foods: Functional Properties, Health Benefits and Disease Prevention)

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