Phenolic and Polyphenolic Compounds: Chemistry, Bioactivity and Applications

Dear Colleagues,

Polyphenols are secondary metabolites found in plants, garnering significant interest due to their health effects. Identification of these compounds, primarily present in fruits and vegetables, poses a challenge owing to the complexity of the researched matrix and their intricate structures. Numerous techniques are used to determine these bioactive molecules, with chromatography being the most popular, and chromatography with mass spectrometry gaining increasing prominence. Understanding the absorption extent of these compounds in the human body is crucial, leading to consideration of their bioavailability and bioaccessibility. Given the bioactive nature of polyphenols, they are frequently incorporated into functional foods to enhance antioxidant properties. However, these compounds degrade during heat treatment, presenting a challenge for scientists to develop and optimize innovative food processing or preservation techniques for preserving these valuable compounds. Non-thermal technologies such as high-pressure processing (HPP), high-pressure homogenization (HPH), high-pressure carbon dioxide (HPCD), microwaves (MVs), pulsed electric fields (PEFs), and ultrasounds (USs) prove beneficial in preserving food containing compounds sensitive to degradation. Simultaneously, they can impact the development or modification of selected sensory and physicochemical properties of functional foods.

Therefore, the aim of this Special Issue is to underscore the significance of polyphenolic compounds and compile manuscripts addressing the determination of these bioactive compounds in fruits, vegetables, and functional food. Additionally, this Special Issue aims to focus particularly on polyphenol bioavailability and bioaccessibility, as well as non-thermal treatments and their influence on sensory and physicochemical properties, especially rheological fruits, vegetables, and functional food.

Dr. Krystian Marszalek
Dr. Justyna Szczepańska-Stolarczyk
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 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.

• fruits and vegetables
• functional food
• polyphenols
• antioxidants
• food chemistry and food technology
• chromatography
• bioavailability and bioaccessibility
• innovative and non-conventional techniques