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Research on Phytochemicals from Natural Products: Sources, Production, and Health...
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Research on Phytochemicals from Natural Products: Sources, Production, and Health Benefits

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Nutrition".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 December 2023) | Viewed by 1638

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Yan Zhang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
Interests: small berries; polyphenol identification; biological activities; functional food development; post-harvest storage and processing; protein-polyphenol interactions; emulsion gels
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We cordially invite you to submit your research to the Special Issue of the journal Foods titled "Research on Phytochemicals from Natural Products: Sources, Production, and Health Benefits". This Special Issue covers various aspects of phytochemicals from natural sources, which are bioactive compounds that offer numerous health benefits, including antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, and anti-inflammatory properties. These benefits are attributed to their structural diversity and biological activity.

This Special Issue aims to highlight the latest research on phytochemicals, including their sources, production, and health benefits. We welcome original research articles and review papers focusing on the characterization, quantification, and biological activity of phytochemicals. Furthermore, the articles discuss the relationship between the structure of phytochemicals and their bioactivity, which is essential for understanding their mechanisms of action. We also encourage contributions focused on the processing and applications of phytochemicals in foods, such as the use of modern technologies to increase the yield and quality of these compounds.

The goal of this Special Issue is to provide a platform for researchers to share their knowledge and innovative research on phytochemicals. It will promote the utilization of natural sources of phytochemicals for various industries, and encourage further research on their potential health benefits. We look forward to receiving your submissions.

Dr. Yan Zhang
Guest Editor

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. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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

  • natural products
  • phytochemicals
  • structural characterization
  • biological activity
  • structure–bioactivity relationship
  • health benefits
  • food processing
  • functional foods

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 2247 KiB  
Article
Enhancing Postharvest Quality and Antioxidant Capacity of Blue Honeysuckle cv. ‘Lanjingling’ with Chitosan and Aloe vera Gel Edible Coatings during Storage
by Jinli Qiao, Dalong Li, Liangchuan Guo, Xiaoqi Hong, Shuman He, Junwei Huo, Xiaonan Sui and Yan Zhang
Foods 2024, 13(4), 630; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13040630 - 19 Feb 2024
Viewed by 670
Abstract
This study investigated the impact of chitosan (CH, 1%) and aloe vera gel (AL, 30%) edible coatings on the preservation of blue honeysuckle quality during a 28-day storage at −1 °C. Coating with CH, AL, and CH+AL led to notable enhancements in several [...] Read more.
This study investigated the impact of chitosan (CH, 1%) and aloe vera gel (AL, 30%) edible coatings on the preservation of blue honeysuckle quality during a 28-day storage at −1 °C. Coating with CH, AL, and CH+AL led to notable enhancements in several key attributes. These included increased firmness, total soluble solids, acidity, pH, and antioxidant capacity (measured through DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assays), as well as the preservation of primary (ascorbic acid) and secondary metabolites (TPC, TAC, and TFC). The TAC and TFC levels were approximately increased by 280% and 17%, respectively, in coated blue honeysuckle after 28 d compared to uncoated blue honeysuckle. These coatings also resulted in reduced weight loss, respiration rate, color, abscisic acid, ethylene production, and malondialdehyde content. Notably, the CH+AL treatment excelled in preserving secondary metabolites and elevating FRAP-reducing power, demonstrating a remarkable 1.43-fold increase compared to the control after 28 days. Overall, CH+AL exhibited superior effects compared to CH or AL treatment alone, offering a promising strategy for extending the shelf life and preserving the quality of blue honeysuckle during storage. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Phytochemicals from Natural Products: Sources, Production, and Health Benefits)
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19 pages, 2150 KiB  
Article
A Long-Term Study on Chemical Compounds and Their Location in Sweet Basil Leaves from Organic and Conventional Producers
by Ewelina Hallmann, Anna Rusaczonek, Ewa Muszyńska, Daniel Ziółkowski, Sebastian Kuliński, Jakub Jasek and Alicja Ponder
Foods 2024, 13(3), 383; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13030383 - 24 Jan 2024
Viewed by 741
Abstract
Bioactive compound profiles in organic and conventional sweet basil were analyzed by HPLC, and the enzymatic status and antioxidant status of plants cultivated with the two systems were also examined. Fluorescence microscopy was used for the determination of compounds’ locations in the basil [...] Read more.
Bioactive compound profiles in organic and conventional sweet basil were analyzed by HPLC, and the enzymatic status and antioxidant status of plants cultivated with the two systems were also examined. Fluorescence microscopy was used for the determination of compounds’ locations in the basil leaves. The experiment was conducted from 2019 to 2021. Organic and conventional basil samples were obtained directly from Polish herb producers. The results showed that the chemical profiles of organic and conventional basil leaves are different. Not only the cultivation method but also the experimental year had a significant impact on the antioxidant content in basil leaves. Organic basil contained significantly more dry matter (11.97 g 100 g−1 FW) compared to conventional one (10.54 g 100 g−1 FW) and a higher tendency for total phenolic compounds (5.24 mg g −1 DW) accumulation. The higher bioactive compound content reflects the antioxidant activity (61.0%, 54.33%, and 46%) in organic basil compared to conventional (46.87%, 38.055, and 39.24%) with respect to the analysis method (ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP). Catalase activity (39 µmol H2O2 min−1 mg−1) in organic basil was higher compared to conventional (23.19 µmol H2O2 min−1 mg−1) ones. The obtained results are very unique and could be used by herb producers as a key for high-quality basil production. The higher concentration of bioactive compounds in organic basil gives a better nutraceutical status to this popular herb. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Phytochemicals from Natural Products: Sources, Production, and Health Benefits)
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