Nutraceuticals, Functional Foods, and Novel Foods
A section of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158).
Section Information
Papers that qualify for the “Nutraceuticals, Functional Foods, and Novel Foods” Section are expected to be studies focusing mainly on nutritional, functional, and nutraceutical topics. Broadly, the categories include research focusing on the study of nutraceuticals (phytocomplexes of vegetal origin, or pools of active secondary metabolites when originating from an animal matrix) as well as active compounds present in vegetal- and animal-origin matrices (foods, byproduct recovery, waste recovery and reuse with a view to sustainability, botanicals, and natural products), in the form of extracts, pure compounds, or mixtures.
The study of nutraceuticals and functional foods should cover physical and chemical properties, their formulation, identification, and quantification in foods, vegetal matrices, products thereof, waste recovery and possible reuse as supplements/nutraceuticals, food supplements, functional preparations, complex food matrices, natural products, studies in vitro, in cells, and in animals, and the mechanisms of action of food supplements and nutraceuticals in humans, substantiating their beneficial effects on health conditions, including their bioavailability and beneficial impacts on health.
This Section also includes novel foods, which represent an emerging area in the framework of foods and are a challenge for academia, industry, and consumers. Novel foods include foods and ingredients that have not been used significantly prior to a specific date, depending on local food regulations.
Their study and evaluation impact, but not limited to, the following: genetically modified foods, foods new to a particular region of the world, foods processed using a new technology or novel production processes, newly developed and innovative food, newly produced nutrients, extracts from existing food, or food consumed as part of the diet in different parts of the world and which qualify to be used as food and part of the diet for their specific characteristics according to current local and international regulations and safety regulations.
Of utmost importance are the safety and nutritional quality of food and novel foods. It is also essential that authors address the impact of the regulatory aspects of nutraceuticals and functional as well as novel foods.
In conclusion, papers should be innovative in the approach or methods used. The significance of the results for the science community or food industry applications should also trigger the reader’s interest in the comprehensive framework of Foods.
Keywords
- Nutraceuticals and their impact.
- Functional foods.
- Food supplements.
- Novel foods.
- Sensorial perception.
- Phytocomplexes, their properties, and extraction.
- The pool of secondary metabolites and their action.
- New dietary ingredients and formulations.
- Food and health: prevention through medicinal food and supplements.
- Clinical data supporting the efficacy of nutraceuticals.
- Novel foods' uses and applications.
- In vitro and in vivo data.
- Therapeutic beneficial effects of nutraceuticals and functional foods.
- Mechanisms of action and impact.
- Food contaminants and safety.
- Regulatory aspects of novel foods, functional foods, supplements, and nutraceuticals.
- Clinical tests that substantiate effects and mechanisms of action.
- Formulation and nanoformulation.
- Analytical aspects and new approaches.
Editorial Board
Topical Advisory Panel
Special Issues
Following special issues within this section are currently open for submissions:
- Comprehensive Utilization of By-Products in Food Industry (Deadline: 25 June 2025)
- Advances in Bioactive Peptides: Innovations in Food Processing, Functional Foods, and Health (Deadline: 30 June 2025)
- Fortification of Food with Micronutrients: Production, Determination, Bioaccessibility and Health Benefits (Deadline: 30 June 2025)
- The Effect of Food Bioactive Compounds on Reducing Oxidative Stress (Deadline: 1 July 2025)
- Fruit By-Products and Their Applications in Food Industry (Deadline: 10 July 2025)
- Honey and Bee Products: Characterization, Bioactivities and Authenticity (Deadline: 15 July 2025)
- Natural Bioactive Compounds: Extraction, Function and Application Research in Food (Deadline: 20 July 2025)
- The Development of New Functional Foods and Ingredients: 2nd Edition (Deadline: 25 July 2025)
- Functional Foods: Improving Diet Quality and Supporting Disease Prevention (Deadline: 28 July 2025)
- The Future of Fermented Foods: Trends in Microbial Diversity and Functional Benefits (Deadline: 31 July 2025)
- Advances in Biological Activities of Functional Food (3rd Edition) (Deadline: 31 July 2025)
- Recent Advances and Future Trends in Fermented and Functional Foods: 2nd Edition (Deadline: 31 July 2025)
- Bioactive Peptides from Food-Derived: Preparation, Development and Functional Utilizations (Deadline: 31 July 2025)
- Recent Advances in Low Glycaemic-Index Foods: Development, Mechanism and Health Benefits (Deadline: 31 July 2025)
- Characterization of Phenolic Compounds with Potential Food Applications (Deadline: 31 July 2025)
- Edible Fungi: Processing, Storage Preservation, Disease Control, and Potential Bioactivities (Deadline: 31 July 2025)
- Research on Encapsulation Technologies for the Development of Functional Foods (Deadline: 31 July 2025)
- Nutritional and Toxicological Characterization of Bioactive Compounds from Foods (Deadline: 31 July 2025)
- Bioactive Compounds: Their Role in Human Health and Disease Through Bioaccessibility and Bioavailability (Deadline: 1 August 2025)
- Recent Advances in the Regulation of Lipid Metabolism by Food Bioactive Ingredients (Deadline: 10 August 2025)
- Plant Essential Oils: Extraction, Characterization, Biological Activities, and Their Applications in Foods (Deadline: 15 August 2025)
- Protein Hydrolysates: Structure, Functions and Their Application in Food (Deadline: 15 August 2025)
- The Intervention and Regulatory Potential of Natural Active Substances in Foods on Chronic Diseases (Deadline: 20 August 2025)
- Health Benefits of Antioxidants in Natural Foods (Deadline: 20 August 2025)
- Mushrooms and Edible Fungi as Future Foods (Deadline: 22 August 2025)
- Advances on Functional Foods with Antioxidant Bioactivity (Deadline: 25 August 2025)
- Structural Properties and Health Benefits of Natural Polysaccharides in Food Science (Deadline: 28 August 2025)
- Probiotics: Health Benefits in Relation to Gut Microbiota and Functional Food Applications (Deadline: 29 August 2025)
- New Insights into Nutraceuticals in the Prevention of Metabolic Syndrome—2nd Edition (Deadline: 30 August 2025)
- Antioxidant Compounds in Functional Foods and Their Benefits for Human Health: 2nd Edition (Deadline: 31 August 2025)
- Plant Bioactive Compounds and Its Potential as a Functional Food Ingredient (Deadline: 31 August 2025)
- Bioactive Compounds from Plants as Functional Food Ingredients and Potential Nutraceuticals (Deadline: 31 August 2025)
- Application of Gut Microbiota and Dietary Compositions in Functional Foods (Deadline: 31 August 2025)
- Food Bioactive Compounds in Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (Deadline: 31 August 2025)
- Biosynthesis Technology and Future Functional Foods (Deadline: 5 September 2025)
- Formulation and Development of Natural Health Products: Promoting Sustainable Change (Deadline: 5 September 2025)
- Bioavailability and Delivery of Nutraceuticals and Fortified Foods (Deadline: 10 September 2025)
- Recent Advances in Carbohydrate Functionality in Foods (Deadline: 15 September 2025)
- Food with Extended Shelf Life Featuring Ingredients Derived from Fruits, Vegetables, and Wild Edible Plants: Nutritional, Functional, and Sensory Properties (Deadline: 25 September 2025)
- Recent Trends in Designing Novel Foods: Nutritional Profiles and Consumer Perceptions (Deadline: 25 September 2025)
- Bee Products Consumption and Human Health (Deadline: 25 September 2025)
- Nutritional Food Components: Their Natural Sources, Functions and Various Applications (Deadline: 26 September 2025)
- Development and Implementation of New and Traditional Technologies in Production of Competitive Value-Added Food Products (Deadline: 30 September 2025)
- Food Bioactive Compounds: Extraction, Identification and Application (Deadline: 30 September 2025)
- Plant-Based Functional Foods and Innovative Production Technologies (Deadline: 30 September 2025)
- Emulsion-Based Encapsulation and Delivery Systems for Bioactive Compounds in Functional Foods (Deadline: 30 September 2025)
- The Role of Functional Foods, Nutraceuticals, and Food Supplements in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (Deadline: 30 September 2025)
- Green Extraction Methods: Unlocking Bioactive Potential for Natural Food Products and Functional Foods (Deadline: 30 September 2025)
- Revalorization of Plant-Based By-Products for Novel Ingredients and Functional Foods (Deadline: 30 September 2025)
- Novel Foods Made with New Ingredients Derived from Industrial Waste (Deadline: 10 October 2025)
- Functional Foods for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (Deadline: 20 October 2025)
- Microalgae for the Food Industry: From Biochemical Composition to the Development of Functional Foods (Deadline: 25 October 2025)
- Bioactive Compounds in Plant Food: Discovering Their Health Benefits (Deadline: 30 October 2025)
- Current Research of Probiotics in Food: From Sources to Health Benefits (Deadline: 31 October 2025)
- Nutraceuticals and Medicine Foods: Processing Technologies, Metabolic Mechanisms, and Human Health (Deadline: 31 October 2025)
- Bioactive Compounds in Foods: Functional Properties, Health Benefits and Disease Prevention: 2nd Edition (Deadline: 31 October 2025)
- Probiotics, Paraprobiotics and Postbiotics: A New Perspective for Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals (Deadline: 31 October 2025)
- Advances in Sources, Extraction, Encapsulation, Bioavailability and Health Benefits of Functional Food Ingredients—2nd Edition (Deadline: 31 October 2025)
- Recent Advances in Functional Components in Plant-Based Foods (Deadline: 15 November 2025)
- Functional Food and Safety Evaluation: Second Edition (Deadline: 20 November 2025)
- Impact of Functional Ingredients on Technological, Sensory and Health Properties of Bakery Products: 2nd Edition (Deadline: 21 November 2025)
- Biofortified Foods for a Healthier Future: Analytical Tools and Technological Advances (Deadline: 25 November 2025)
- The Biological and Functional Properties of Polypeptides and Polysaccharides Isolated from Food Sources (Deadline: 29 November 2025)
- Bioactive Compounds in Fruits and Vegetables: Processing, Bioavailability and Functional Properties (Deadline: 30 November 2025)
- Starch: Properties and Functionality in Food Systems (Deadline: 30 November 2025)
- Advances in Preparation, Characterisation, Assessment, and Application of Functional Lipids (Deadline: 30 November 2025)
- Natural Bioactive Components to Improve the Nutritional and Health-Related Properties of Food Products (Deadline: 30 November 2025)
- Probiotics, Prebiotics, Synbiotics, Postbiotics and Paraprobiotics—New Perspective for Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals: Third Edition (Deadline: 10 December 2025)
- Recent Research on the Extraction and Characterization of Phenolic Compounds from Foods and Their Potential Antioxidant Activities (Deadline: 15 December 2025)
- Probiotics and Prebiotics in Intestinal Health and Disease: From Biology to the Clinic (Deadline: 15 December 2025)
- Plants as a Source of Functional Food Ingredients to Improve Human Nutrition (Deadline: 20 December 2025)
- Quality Characteristics of Traditional and Innovative Foods (Deadline: 30 December 2025)
- Innovative Approaches to Obtaining Functional Compounds from Agri-Food Byproducts (Deadline: 31 December 2025)
- Food Waste as Ingredients in Functional Food Development: Sources, Extractions and Functionality (Deadline: 31 December 2025)
- Algae as a Potential Source of Food Components: Bioactive Ingredients, New Products Development and Sustainability (Deadline: 31 December 2025)
- Nutritional Value and Health Properties in Milk and Dairy Products: Focusing on Functional Compounds (Deadline: 31 December 2025)
- Feature Review on Nutraceuticals, Functional Foods, and Novel Foods (Deadline: 31 December 2025)
- Chemical Properties, Extraction Methods and Bioaccessibility of Bioactive Substances in Plant Foods (Deadline: 31 December 2025)
- Plant By-Products Fortify the Nutritional and Functional Properties of Foods (Deadline: 31 January 2026)
- Bioactive Phytochemicals and Antioxidants: Exploring Innovative Technology, Functional Properties and Health Benefits for Edible Fungi and Plant-Based Functional Foods (Deadline: 28 February 2026)
Topical Collection
Following topical collection within this section is currently open for submissions: