Extraction and Applications of Bioactive Compounds for Food Products

Dear Colleagues,

Extracting bioactive compounds from various natural sources and incorporating them into food products has gained significant attention due to their potential health benefits and functional properties. Bioactive compounds are substances found in foods that have biological activity and can positively influence human health beyond basic nutrition. They include polyphenols, flavonoids, carotenoids, vitamins, minerals, peptides, and other phytochemicals. Different extraction processes can be applied but green extraction processes (“supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), subcritical water extraction (SWE), ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), and microwave-assisted extraction (MAE)”, among others) should be emphasized in terms of their advantages as well as their challenges (cost efficiency and large-scale application). Best practices in extracting and valorizing bioactive compounds from different agro-food waste/by-products, mostly plant based, should be presented to facilitate greater distribution of the information.

Different applications can be considered to demonstrate the valorization of extracted bioactive compounds: functional foods, nutraceutical supplements, natural food preservatives, colorants and flavor enhancers, and functional ingredients in food processing. Challenges which might be considered include stability (some bioactive compounds are sensitive to light, heat, oxygen, and pH, which can affect their stability during extraction and processing), safety (ensuring the safety of bioactive compounds, especially when extracted from novel sources, is crucial to avoid adverse health effects), and regulatory compliance (regulations regarding the use of bioactive compounds in food products vary by region). Compliance with regulatory standards is necessary to ensure products’ legality and safety.

We welcome the submission of original research articles, literature reviews, short communications, and perspective papers. Contributions to this Special Issue should focus on the broad topic of bioactive compound extraction from natural sources and their applications in creating innovative food products. We are looking forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Radu C. Racovita
Dr. Denisa Duta
Prof. Dr. Adriana Dabija
Prof. Dr. Gabriela Rapeanu
Guest Editors

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• bioactive compounds
• green extractions
• functional foods
• nutraceuticals
• flavors
• colorants