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Recent Advances in Bioactive Compounds for Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2025 | Viewed by 2192

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Metabolomics Center, Department of Biochemistry, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
Interests: metabolomics; biochemistry; biological mass spectrometry; food chemistry; wood chemistry
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Agricultural Research Station, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
Interests: bioactives; nutraceuticals; food chemistry; chromatography; mass spectrometry; metabolomics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The world is currently facing the dual challenges of undernutrition and overnutrition. As a result, the overall metabolic and lifestyle-linked disease burden has profoundly increased. This compels us to rethink food beyond nutrition and include health-balancing and promoting ingredients in our routine diets. Plant-based food provides a range of such ingredients, which include bioactive compounds such as polyphenols, phytosterols, carotenoids, curcuminoids, and so on. In addition, omega-3 fatty acids, dietary fibers, vitamins, essential amino acids, and minerals are some other health-promoting and pharmacologically active ingredients that are generally categorized as nutraceuticals.

Exploring the quality, bioavailability, efficacy, and safety of bioactive compounds and nutraceuticals is a key area of current research interest. Recent research progress in the above-mentioned areas of functional food and bioactives is constantly advancing with recent developments in analytical tools, especially in chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques. Hence, capturing these recent advances is becoming valuable in advancing interdisciplinary research in this area. The goal of this Special Issue is to collect recent research highlights and reviews associated with plant bioactives, nutraceuticals, and functional foods. Submissions related to the chemistry of plant bioactives, nutritional biochemistry, and analytical method development are welcome.

Dr. Zhentian Lei
Dr. Deepak M. Kasote
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • mass spectrometry
  • metabolomics
  • plant interactions
  • natural products
  • food nutraceuticals and nutrients

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

25 pages, 946 KiB  
Review
Structure–Function Relationships and Health-Promoting Properties of the Main Nutraceuticals of the Cactus Pear (Opuntia spp.) Cladodes: A Review
by Meriyem Koufan, Basma Choukrane and Mouaad Amine Mazri
Molecules 2024, 29(19), 4732; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29194732 - 7 Oct 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1737
Abstract
Over the past decade, several studies have established a direct link between functional foods, nutraceuticals, and a reduced risk of oxidative-stress-related diseases. Nutraceuticals, which encompass a variety of bioactive molecules, exhibit both nutritional and therapeutic properties. The cactus pear (Opuntia spp.) is [...] Read more.
Over the past decade, several studies have established a direct link between functional foods, nutraceuticals, and a reduced risk of oxidative-stress-related diseases. Nutraceuticals, which encompass a variety of bioactive molecules, exhibit both nutritional and therapeutic properties. The cactus pear (Opuntia spp.) is a plant genus with many species recognized as functional foods, largely attributed to their high content of nutraceuticals, including polyphenols, fatty acids, vitamins, amino acids, pigments, and phytosterols. These compounds of different structures and functions possess different biological activities, contributing to the health-promoting properties of cactus pear. This makes cactus pears a valuable plant for the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. While extensive research has focused on the nutritional profile of cactus pear fruits, the cladodes have received comparatively limited attention. Notably, the nutritional composition of cladodes can exhibit considerable variability, influenced by species and growing conditions. Furthermore, although various bioactive compounds have been identified in cladodes, studies elucidating their mechanisms of action, health benefits, and potential therapeutic applications remain insufficient. Addressing these gaps is crucial for enhancing the understanding and utilization of cactus pear cladodes. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the structure–function relationships of the main nutraceuticals found in cactus pear cladodes. It synthesizes data from recent and relevant literature to elucidate the content of these compounds in relation to species and geographical origin, while also detailing the main biological activities and health-promoting benefits associated with cactus pear cladodes. Full article
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