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The Food Processing Industry’s 200th Anniversary: Bioactive Compounds, Antioxidants, and Potential Health Benefits

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A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Bioactives and Nutraceuticals".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 September 2024 | Viewed by 6195

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Vassilis Athanasiadis

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Department of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Thessaly, Terma N. Temponera Str., 43100 Karditsa, Greece
Interests: functional foods; polyphenols; antioxidants; public health; nutritional evaluation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Theodoros G. Chatzimitakos

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Guest Editor

Department of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Thessaly, Terma N. Temponera Str., 43100 Karditsa, Greece
Interests: antioxidant compounds; bioactive compounds; sample preparation; extraction; nanomaterials; metabolomics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The term "industrial revolution" is shorthand for a historical era that began in Great Britain in the 18th century and was characterized by an apparent acceleration of progress. Over the years, the food industry has changed and adapted to meet changing consumer demands and behaviors. The supply, consumption, and delivery of food products around the world are part of a complex system that define this industry. Food processes can bestow the potential health benefits of bioactive compounds in food processed products. People with allergies, diabetes, and other health issues who cannot consume certain, common food items also benefit from modern food processing. Additional nutrients, such as vitamins and antioxidants, can be added to foods during processing. Food processing offers a number of advantages, such as extending the shelf life of food and improving the usability of products. However, highly processed meals can have disadvantages. According to the World Health Organization, a diet high in fat, added sugar, and salt, such as one that includes many highly processed foods, can increase the risk of cancer, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. The key is to strike a balance between the advantages and disadvantages of food processing. This can be achieved by consuming a mix of whole, minimally processed foods and those that have undergone some processing to improve their safety, taste, and nutritional value. It is also important to be mindful of the ingredients used in processed foods and to choose options that are made with natural ingredients.

Since it is necessary to develop approaches that provide improved food products for human health and wellbeing, while minimizing the environmental impact, such that the circular economy becomes a reality in food (and industrial) processing, this Special Issue on "The Food Processing Industry's 200th Anniversary: Bioactive Compounds, Antioxidants, and Potential Health Benefits" will (I) explore the maintenance or enhancement of the concentration of bioactive compounds that can be used as functions in foods during their processing and (II) examine the mechanisms by which the desired effect is achieved. Original research articles and reviews on the topic are welcome.

Dr. Vassilis Athanasiadis
Dr. Theodoros G. Chatzimitakos
Guest Editors

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. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

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Keywords

antioxidants
bioactive compounds
food processing
functional foods
green processes
health potentials
molecular mechanisms
polyphenols
shelf life
vitamins

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 7405 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Addition of Tannin Extract from Underutilized Resources on Allergenic Proteins, Color and Textural Properties of Egg White Gels

by Yoko Tsurunaga, Mika Ishigaki, Tetsuya Takahashi, Shiori Arima, Sae Kumagai, Yoshimasa Tsujii and Shota Koyama

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(7), 4124; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25074124 - 08 Apr 2024

Viewed by 494

Abstract

Tannins, present in numerous plants, exhibit a binding affinity for proteins. In this study, we aimed to exploit this property to reduce the concentration of allergenic egg white proteins. Tannins were extracted, using hot water, from the lyophilized powder of underutilized resources, such as chestnut inner skin (CIS), young persimmon fruit (YPF), and bayberry leaves (BBLs). These extracts were then incorporated into an egg white solution (EWS) to generate an egg white gel (EWG). Allergen reduction efficacy was assessed using electrophoresis and ELISA. Our findings revealed a substantial reduction in allergenic proteins across all EWGs containing a 50% tannin extract. Notably, CIS and BBL exhibited exceptional efficacy in reducing low allergen levels. The addition of tannin extract resulted in an increase in the total polyphenol content of the EWG, with the order of effectiveness being CIS > YPF > BBL. Minimal color alteration was observed in the BBL-infused EWG compared to the other sources. Additionally, the introduction of tannin extract heightened the hardness stress, with BBL demonstrating the most significant effect, followed by CIS and YPF. In conclusion, incorporating tannin extract during EWG preparation was found to decrease the concentration of allergenic proteins while enhancing antioxidant properties and hardness stress, with BBL being particularly effective in preventing color changes in EWG. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Food Processing Industry’s 200th Anniversary: Bioactive Compounds, Antioxidants, and Potential Health Benefits)

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19 pages, 3424 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Functionalization of Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA)-Based Bioplastic with Phloretin for Active Food Packaging: Characterization of Its Mechanical, Antioxidant, and Antimicrobial Activities

by Seyedeh Fatemeh Mirpoor, Giuseppe Tancredi Patanè, Iolanda Corrado, C. Valeria L. Giosafatto, Giovanna Ginestra, Antonia Nostro, Antonino Foti, Pietro G. Gucciardi, Giuseppina Mandalari, Davide Barreca, Teresa Gervasi and Cinzia Pezzella

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(14), 11628; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241411628 - 19 Jul 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1829

Abstract

The formulation of eco-friendly biodegradable packaging has received great attention during the last decades as an alternative to traditional widespread petroleum-based food packaging. With this aim, we designed and tested the properties of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA)-based bioplastics functionalized with phloretin as far as antioxidant, antimicrobial, and morpho-mechanic features are concerned. Mechanical and hydrophilicity features investigations revealed a mild influence of phloretin on the novel materials as a function of the concentration utilized (5, 7.5, 10, and 20 mg) with variation in FTIR e RAMAN spectra as well as in mechanical properties. Functionalization of PHA-based polymers resulted in the acquisition of the antioxidant activity (in a dose-dependent manner) tested by DPPH, TEAC, FRAR, and chelating assays, and in a decrease in the growth of food-borne pathogens (Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 13932). Finally, apple samples were packed in the functionalized PHA films for 24, 48, and 72 h, observing remarkable effects on the stabilization of apple samples. The results open the possibility to utilize phloretin as a functionalizing agent for bioplastic formulation, especially in relation to food packaging. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Food Processing Industry’s 200th Anniversary: Bioactive Compounds, Antioxidants, and Potential Health Benefits)

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12 pages, 1501 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Phoenix dactylifera (Ajwa Dates) Alleviate LPS-Induced Sickness Behaviour in Rats by Attenuating Proinflammatory Cytokines and Oxidative Stress in the Brain

by Thippeswamy Boreddy Shivanandappa, Ghallab Alotaibi, Maheswari Chinnadhurai, Sudharshan Reddy Dachani, Mahmad Dabeer Ahmad and Khalid Abdullah Aldaajanii

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(13), 10413; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241310413 - 21 Jun 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1888

Abstract

Traditional medicine claims that various components of the Phoenix dactylifera (date plant) can be used to treat memory loss, fever, inflammation, loss of consciousness, and nerve disorders. The present study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of Phoenix dactylifera fruit extracts (PDF) against rat sickness behaviour caused by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) by assessing behavioural and biochemical parameters. PDF was prepared by extracting dry fruits of P. dactylifera with a methanol:water (4:1, v/v) mixture. The PDF was evaluated for phenolic and flavonoid content and HPLC analysis of quercetin estimation. Adult Wistar rats were treated with LPS, PDF + LPS and dexamethasone + LPS. Water and food intake, behavioural tests such as locomotor activity, tail suspension and forced swim tests were conducted. Furthermore, alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) were estimated in plasma and malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), nitrite, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), were estimated in the brain. PDF ameliorated LPS-induced sickness behaviour by reducing MDA, nitrite, IL-6, and TNF-α levels and improving GSH, behavioural alteration, water and food intake in the treated rats. In the plasma of the treated rats, PDF also decreased the levels of ALT and AST. The outcomes demonstrated the efficacy of PDF in reducing the sickness behaviour caused by LPS in rats. The authors believe that this study will provide the groundwork for future research to better understand the underlying mechanisms of action and therapeutic efficacy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Food Processing Industry’s 200th Anniversary: Bioactive Compounds, Antioxidants, and Potential Health Benefits)

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Review

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37 pages, 1021 KiB

Open AccessReview

Polyphenol Extraction from Food (by) Products by Pulsed Electric Field: A Review

by Vassilis Athanasiadis, Theodoros Chatzimitakos, Konstantina Kotsou, Dimitrios Kalompatsios, Eleni Bozinou and Stavros I. Lalas

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(21), 15914; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms242115914 - 02 Nov 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1106

Abstract

Nowadays, more and more researchers engage in studies regarding the extraction of bioactive compounds from natural sources. To this end, plenty of studies have been published on this topic, with the interest in the field growing exponentially. One major aim of such studies is to maximize the extraction yield and, simultaneously, to use procedures that adhere to the principles of green chemistry, as much as possible. It was not until recently that pulsed electric field (PEF) technology has been put to good use to achieve this goal. This new technique exhibits many advantages, compared to other techniques, and they have successfully been reaped for the production of extracts with enhanced concentrations in bioactive compounds. In this advancing field of research, a good understanding of the existing literature is mandatory to develop more advanced concepts in the future. The aim of this review is to provide a thorough discussion of the most important applications of PEF for the enhancement of polyphenols extraction from fresh food products and by-products, as well as to discuss the current limitations and the prospects of the field. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Food Processing Industry’s 200th Anniversary: Bioactive Compounds, Antioxidants, and Potential Health Benefits)

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