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Antioxidants
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Antioxidants from Food and Food Wastes for Nutraceutical, Pharmaceutical and...
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Antioxidants from Food and Food Wastes for Nutraceutical, Pharmaceutical and Cosmetic Fields

A special issue of Antioxidants (ISSN 2076-3921). This special issue belongs to the section "Extraction and Industrial Applications of Antioxidants".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 November 2025 | Viewed by 2874

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Monica Locatelli

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università del Piemonte Orientale, Largo Donegani 2, 28100 Novara, Italy
Interests: polyphenols, bioactive compounds, analytical methods, antioxidant activity, food processing, chemometrics, functional ingredients, bioaccessibility
Dr. Vincenzo Disca

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor Assistant
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università del Piemonte Orientale, Largo Donegani 2, 28100 Novara, Italy
Interests: dietary fibers; functional foods; food ingredients; polyphenols; antioxidants; food biotechnology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to present a new Special Issue on the potential of food and agri-food wastes as sustainable sources of antioxidant compounds. While the potential of antioxidants from natural sources is vast, and their exploitation is now essential in the context of green and circular economies in multiple fields, challenges related to the extraction, characterization, stability, and bioavailability remain.

Antioxidant compounds derived from food and agricultural by-products can play an important role in nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic applications, providing health benefits through their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties and also developing specific activities. However, their successful use depends on the development of efficient extraction processes and innovative formulations that enhance their efficacy, stability, and bioavailability.

This Special Issue aims to address these challenges by focusing on extraction methods, the development of novel formulations, and sustainable technologies. We encourage you to submit original research and review articles that explore these topics, advance the design of functional ingredients and products, and provide solutions to improve the stability (both during storage and after processing), bioavailability, and delivery of antioxidant compounds from food and related wastes or by-products. Due to the importance of this field, research focused on analytical methods for the characterization of antioxidant compounds and the evaluation of their bioactivity will also be considered.

We look forward to receiving your valuable contributions.

Prof. Dr. Monica Locatelli
Guest Editor

Dr. Vincenzo Disca
Guest Editor Assistant

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. Antioxidants is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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

  • phenolic compounds
  • analytical methods
  • bioactivities
  • green extraction
  • functional ingredients
  • food supplements
  • by-products and up-cycled ingredients
  • nutraceutical
  • cosmetics
  • bioaccessibility

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 3103 KiB  
Article
Sustainable Recovery of Phlorotannins from Durvillaea incurvata: Integrated Extraction and Purification with Advanced Characterization
by Pamela Raquel Rivera-Tovar, Gabriela Contreras-Contreras, Paulina Isabel Rivas-Reyes, Jara Pérez-Jiménez, Maximiliano Martínez-Cifuentes, José Ricardo Pérez-Correa and María Salomé Mariotti-Celis
Antioxidants 2025, 14(3), 250; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox14030250 - 21 Feb 2025
Viewed by 446
Abstract
The rising demand for bioactive compounds from marine resources highlights the need for sustainable separation technologies. This study introduces an integrated process combining ultrasound-assisted extraction (USAE) and resin purification (RP) to isolate phlorotannins from Durvillaea incurvata, a brown seaweed with significant biomedical [...] Read more.
The rising demand for bioactive compounds from marine resources highlights the need for sustainable separation technologies. This study introduces an integrated process combining ultrasound-assisted extraction (USAE) and resin purification (RP) to isolate phlorotannins from Durvillaea incurvata, a brown seaweed with significant biomedical potential. Using a 32.5% ethanol–water solvent system for USAE followed by RP on Diaion HP-20 resin, phlorotannins were enriched 2.4-fold, with simultaneous removal of interfering compounds such as mannitol (~100%), which was demonstrated by FTIR and HPLC-IR analysis. Advanced characterization using UHPLC-QToF-MS/MS identified five novel phlorotannins with polymerization degrees of 3 to 8 phloroglucinol units in both USAE extracts and post-RP. Mass balance based on spectrophotometric measurements indicated a purification factor of ~2, confirming process effectiveness. RP streams showed distinct phlorotannin profiles, with one phlorotannin exceeding 70% relative abundance. However, MS/MS results showed significantly lower recoveries than spectrophotometric data, revealing a novel insight into RP purification. These findings highlight the critical role of comprehensive chemical characterization in optimizing sustainable phlorotannin extraction from seaweed. They propose a framework for scalable, eco-efficient technologies for achieving high-purity phlorotannin recovery. This approach facilitates the development of phlorotannin-based applications in the nutraceutical and pharmaceutical industries. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antioxidants from Food and Food Wastes for Nutraceutical, Pharmaceutical and Cosmetic Fields)
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20 pages, 7212 KiB  
Article
Targeting Aging Skin with GABALAGEN®: A Synergistic Marine Nutricosmetic Ingredient Validated Through Human Randomized Trials
by Jimin Hyun, Kyoung-Min Rheu, Bae-Jin Lee and Bomi Ryu
Antioxidants 2025, 14(3), 245; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox14030245 - 20 Feb 2025
Viewed by 513
Abstract
This study introduces GABALAGEN® (GBL), a marine-derived ingredient combining low-molecular-weight fish collagen and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) produced via lactobacillus fermentation. GBL contains approximately 10% GABA, making up 39% of its free amino acid profile. A 12-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with 100 [...] Read more.
This study introduces GABALAGEN® (GBL), a marine-derived ingredient combining low-molecular-weight fish collagen and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) produced via lactobacillus fermentation. GBL contains approximately 10% GABA, making up 39% of its free amino acid profile. A 12-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with 100 adults (aged 35–60) assessed its effects on aging skin. Participants consumed 1500 mg/day of GBL in jelly form, with 94% completing the study. By Week 12, the GBL group showed a 20% increase in skin hydration and a 15% reduction in wrinkle depth. Improvements in skin density and elasticity were also observed, with no adverse effects reported. In vitro tests demonstrated strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, including enhanced superoxide dismutase activity and reduced pro-inflammatory cytokine expression in UVB-irradiated keratinocytes. GBL exemplifies sustainable innovation by upcycling fishery byproducts into high-value materials while addressing stability issues common to seafood-derived products. The fermentation process ensures safety and enhances GABA’s antioxidant activity and bioavailability. This scalable method aligns with circular economic principles and global sustainability goals, extending GBL’s potential to other functional materials which were proved their safety. GBL represents a breakthrough in nutricosmetics, combining efficacy, environmental sustainability, and industrial innovation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antioxidants from Food and Food Wastes for Nutraceutical, Pharmaceutical and Cosmetic Fields)
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19 pages, 2983 KiB  
Article
Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Efficacy of Djulis (Chenopodium formosanum) Leaves: Implications for Sustainable Cosmeceutical Development
by Chien-Shan Chiu, Yung-Jia Chan, Yan-Zhen Wu, Wen-Chien Lu, Po-Yuan Chiang and Po-Hsien Li
Antioxidants 2025, 14(2), 202; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox14020202 - 10 Feb 2025
Viewed by 657
Abstract
Chenopodium formosanum (djulis), well known for its vivid color variation during diverse senescence stages, has attracted attention for its perceived health benefits and antioxidant capacity. Djulis leaves, often discarded as biowaste after harvesting, were evaluated for their potential as a source of antioxidant [...] Read more.
Chenopodium formosanum (djulis), well known for its vivid color variation during diverse senescence stages, has attracted attention for its perceived health benefits and antioxidant capacity. Djulis leaves, often discarded as biowaste after harvesting, were evaluated for their potential as a source of antioxidant compounds. The current study analyzes the physicochemical and antioxidant activities of red, green, and yellow djulis leaf extracts across various senescence stages to probe their prospective utility in cosmeceuticals. Various plant compounds including total carbohydrates, phenolics and flavonoids, chlorophyll a and b, and betaxanthins and betacyanins were measured using spectrophotometric techniques. Antioxidant potential was assessed using DPPH, FRAP, CUPRAC, TEAC, and DMPD assays. Green djulis leaves displayed elevated total carbohydrate and chlorophyll levels, whereas red djulis leaves exhibited heightened phenolic, flavonoid, betaxanthin, and betacyanin content, indicating its suitability for cosmeceutical applications. Antioxidant evaluations revealed substantial disparities among the extracts, with red djulis leaf extract demonstrating superior antioxidant activity in most assays. These findings revealed the distinct antioxidant profiles of djulis leaf extracts influenced by color and senescence stage. These findings advance our understanding of the bioactive attributes of djulis leaves and their potential for incorporation into functional products. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antioxidants from Food and Food Wastes for Nutraceutical, Pharmaceutical and Cosmetic Fields)
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14 pages, 2027 KiB  
Article
From Waste to Resource: Exploring Green Approaches for Phenolics Recovery from Olive Leaves
by Paulina Tapia-Quirós, Aina Mir-Cerdà, Mercè Granados, Sonia Sentellas and Javier Saurina
Antioxidants 2025, 14(2), 136; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox14020136 - 24 Jan 2025
Viewed by 753
Abstract
Waste management presents a significant challenge for agri-food industries, but also an opportunity to recover valuable bioactive compounds, particularly phenolics, aligning with circular economy principles. This study compares the efficacy of conventional solvents and natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) in extracting polyphenols from [...] Read more.
Waste management presents a significant challenge for agri-food industries, but also an opportunity to recover valuable bioactive compounds, particularly phenolics, aligning with circular economy principles. This study compares the efficacy of conventional solvents and natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) in extracting polyphenols from olive leaves using the scalable techniques of solid–liquid extraction (SLE) with mechanical stirring and microwave-assisted extraction (MAE). Key factors affecting extraction yield, including solvent composition, time, and temperature were investigated. Extraction efficiency was evaluated by measuring total polyphenol content (TPC) by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), antioxidant capacity (FRAP assay), and individual phenolic compounds, also quantified using HPLC. Additionally, differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) was employed to evaluate the antioxidant quality of the extracts. NADES demonstrated superior extraction performance compared to conventional solvents, with the choline–glycerol system showing the highest efficiency. The combination of MAE and NADES emerged as a green and sustainable alternative to traditional methods, offering improved yield and speed. In contrast, SLE with water or ethanol/water mixtures required extended times or higher temperatures for comparable results but offered easier scalability for industrial applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antioxidants from Food and Food Wastes for Nutraceutical, Pharmaceutical and Cosmetic Fields)
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