Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
7.4
4.7
Journals
Foods
Special Issues
Plant-Based Food: From Nutritional Value to Health Benefits: 2nd Edition
share announcement

Plant-Based Food: From Nutritional Value to Health Benefits: 2nd Edition

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2025 | Viewed by 1599

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Yongqi Yin

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Food Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
Interests: food ingredients; functional substances
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Runqiang Yang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Food Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
Interests: phytochemicals accumulation; sprouts producing; seeds germination; gamma-aminobutyric acid metabolism and its signal function; phenolics accumulation; food chemistry; metabolomics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Plants are considered an important source of bioactive compounds. Plant-based bioactive compounds have demonstrated their role in various health benefits, such as anti-cardiovascular disease, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, and other effects. The primary bioactive compounds in plants are flavonoids, phenolic acids, alkaloids, saponins, polysaccharides, etc. Bioactive compounds in fruits, vegetables, medicinal plants, and cereals have been widely used in the development of plant-based functional foods. However, considering the low levels of bioactive compounds in most plants, there are many traditional and innovative techniques (e.g., germination, exogenous additive treatment, abiotic stress, and physical treatments) that promote the accumulation of them. Furthermore, the molecular mechanisms that these enrichment techniques regulate, regarding the biosynthesis of active substances in plants, need to be further explored. Therefore, this Special Issue is dedicated to original research articles that cover the latest findings on the enrichment techniques and molecular mechanisms of plant-based bioactive compounds.

Dr. Yongqi Yin
Dr. Runqiang Yang
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. 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

  • phytochemicals
  • biological compounds
  • plant-based functional foods
  • characterization
  • functional attributes
  • phenolic compound
  • food processing
  • bioavailability
  • abiotic stress
  • physiological metabolism
  • biosynthesis mechanism

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

15 pages, 2062 KiB  
Article
Chemical Profile of Kumquat (Citrus japonica var. margarita) Essential Oil, In Vitro Digestion, and Biological Activity
by Ivana Vrca, Željana Fredotović, Blaž Jug, Marija Nazlić, Valerija Dunkić, Dina Jug, Josip Radić, Sonja Smole Možina and Ivana Restović
Foods 2024, 13(22), 3545; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13223545 - 6 Nov 2024
Viewed by 597
Abstract
Kumquat is one of the smallest citrus fruits (from the Rutaceae family), and its essential oil’s biological effects have not yet been sufficiently researched, in contrast to the essential oils of its relatives. Therefore, the aim of this large-scale study was to investigate [...] Read more.
Kumquat is one of the smallest citrus fruits (from the Rutaceae family), and its essential oil’s biological effects have not yet been sufficiently researched, in contrast to the essential oils of its relatives. Therefore, the aim of this large-scale study was to investigate the chemical profile of kumquat essential oils (KEOs) isolated by microwave-assisted distillation (MAD) and Clevenger hydrodistillation using GC-MS analysis. To test the bioaccessibility of their bioactive components, in vitro digestion with commercially available enzymes was performed. The final step of this research was to test their cytotoxic activity against a cervical cancer cell line (HeLa), a human colon cancer cell line (HCT116), a human osteosarcoma cell line (U2OS), and a healthy cell line (RPE1). Two methods were used to test the antioxidant activity: DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity). The antibacterial activity was tested in relation to the growth and adhesion of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus on a polystyrene surface. The GC-MS analysis showed that the major compound in both kumquat essential oils was limonene, which was stable before and after in vitro digestion (>90%). The results showed that the cytotoxic activity of the KEOs in all three cancer cell lines tested was IC50 1–2 mg/mL, and in the healthy cell line (RPE1), the IC50 value was above 4 mg/mL. The antibacterial activity of the KEOs obtained after MAD and Clevenger hydrodistillation was 4 mg/mL against E. coli and 1 mg/mL against S. aureus. The KEOs after MAD and Clevenger hydrodistillation reduced the adhesion of E. coli by more than 1 log, while there was no statistically significant effect on the adhesion of S. aureus to the polystyrene surface. Both KEOs exhibited comparable levels of antioxidant activity using both methods tested, with IC50 values of 855.25 ± 26.02 μg/mL (after MAD) and 929.41 ± 101.57 μg/mL (after Clevenger hydrodistillation) for DPPH activity and 4839.09 ± 91.99 μmol TE/g of EO (after MAD) and 4928.78 ± 275.67 μmol TE/g of EO (after Clevenger hydrodistillation) for ORAC. The results obtained show possible future applications in various fields (e.g., in the food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and agricultural industries). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant-Based Food: From Nutritional Value to Health Benefits: 2nd Edition)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 4033 KiB  
Article
NaCl Stress Stimulates Phenolics Biosynthesis and Antioxidant System Enhancement of Quinoa Germinated after Magnetic Field Pretreatment
by Shufang Wang, Xuejiao Zhang, Yiting Wang, Jirong Wu, Yin-Won Lee, Jianhong Xu and Runqiang Yang
Foods 2024, 13(20), 3278; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13203278 - 16 Oct 2024
Viewed by 703
Abstract
Our previous study showed that magnetic field pretreatment promoted germination and phenolic enrichment in quinoa. In this study, we further investigated the effects of NaCl stress on the growth and phenolic synthesis of germinated quinoa after magnetic field pretreatment (MGQ). The results showed [...] Read more.
Our previous study showed that magnetic field pretreatment promoted germination and phenolic enrichment in quinoa. In this study, we further investigated the effects of NaCl stress on the growth and phenolic synthesis of germinated quinoa after magnetic field pretreatment (MGQ). The results showed that NaCl stress inhibited the growth of MGQ, reduced the moisture content and weight of a single plant, but increased the fresh/dry weight. The higher the NaCl concentration, the more obvious the inhibition effect. In addition, NaCl stress inhibited the hydrolysis of MGQ starch, protein, and fat but increased the ash content. Moreover, lower concentrations (50 and 100 mM) of NaCl stress increased the content of MGQ flavonoids and other phenolic compounds. This was due to the fact that NaCl stress further increased the enzyme activities of PAL, C4H, 4CL, CHS, CHI, and CHR and up-regulated the gene expression of the above enzymes. NaCl stress at 50 and 100 mM increased the DPPH and ABTS scavenging capacity of MGQ and increased the activities of antioxidant enzymes, including SOD, POD, CAT, APX, and GSH-Px, further enhancing the antioxidant system. Furthermore, principal component analysis showed that NaCl stress at 100 mM had the greatest combined effect on MGQ. Taken together, NaCl stress inhibited the growth of MGQ, but appropriate concentrations of NaCl stress, especially 100 mM, helped to further increase the phenolic content of MGQ and enhance its antioxidant system. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant-Based Food: From Nutritional Value to Health Benefits: 2nd Edition)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-2
Back to TopTop