Marine-Derived Ingredients for Functional Foods

A special issue of Marine Drugs (ISSN 1660-3397). This special issue belongs to the section "Marine-Derived Ingredients for Drugs, Cosmeceuticals and Nutraceuticals".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2025 | Viewed by 3451

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Laboratory of Food Chemistry—Technology and Quality of Food of Animal Origin, Department of Food Science and Nutrition, School of the Environment, University of the Aegean, Metropolite Ioakeim 2, 81400 Myrina, Lemnos, Greece
Interests: animal food quality and technology; functional marine food; fish lipids
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Research into marine functional food encompasses a wide range of studies aiming to explore the health benefits of marine-derived ingredients and optimize methods for their incorporation into food products.

The aim of the current Special Issue is to present the following: a) the bioactive compounds from marine sources such as seaweeds, fish, shellfish, and microalgae, which are rich in essential nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, that offer various health benefits, including cardiovascular health, anti-inflammatory properties, and immune system support; b) the potential health benefits of marine functional foods, exploring the bioavailability of the bioactive compounds and therefore determining their effectiveness in the human body and their role in preventing chronic diseases like obesity, diabetes, and hypertension, as well as their impact on cognitive health and overall well-being; c) the development of innovative processing technologies to preserve the bioactive compounds and nutritional quality of marine-derived ingredients; and d) functional food formulation trends.

Dr. Constantina Nasopoulou
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • marine-derived bioactive compounds
  • processing technologies
  • marine functional foods’ health benefits
  • functional food formulation
  • seaweeds

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 5617 KiB  
Article
Methyl 3-Bromo-4,5-dihydroxybenzoate Attenuates Inflammatory Bowel Disease by Regulating TLR/NF-κB Pathways
by Jing Huang, Lei Li, Liyan Xu, Lixin Feng, Yuxin Wang, Attila Gabor SIK, Meng Jin, Rongchun Wang, Kechun Liu and Xiaobin Li
Mar. Drugs 2025, 23(1), 47; https://doi.org/10.3390/md23010047 - 19 Jan 2025
Viewed by 838
Abstract
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is characterized by uncontrolled, chronic relapsing inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract and has become a global healthcare problem. Here, we aimed to illustrate the anti-inflammatory activity and the underlying mechanism of methyl 3-bromo-4,5-dihydroxybenzoate (MBD), a compound derived from marine [...] Read more.
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is characterized by uncontrolled, chronic relapsing inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract and has become a global healthcare problem. Here, we aimed to illustrate the anti-inflammatory activity and the underlying mechanism of methyl 3-bromo-4,5-dihydroxybenzoate (MBD), a compound derived from marine organisms, especially in IBD, using a zebrafish model. The results indicated that MBD could inhibit the inflammatory responses induced by CuSO4, tail amputation and LPS in zebrafish. Furthermore, MBD notably inhibited the intestinal migration of immune cells, enhanced the integrity of the gut mucosal barrier and improved intestinal peristalsis function in a zebrafish IBD model induced by trinitro-benzene-sulfonic acid (TNBS). In addition, MBD could inhibit ROS elevation induced by TNBS. Network pharmacology analysis, molecular docking, transcriptomics sequencing and RT-PCR were conducted to investigate the potential mechanism. The results showed that MBD could regulate the TLR/NF-κB pathways by inhibiting the mRNA expression of TNF-α, NF-κB, IL-1, IL-1β, IL6, AP1, IFNγ, IKKβ, MyD88, STAT3, TRAF1, TRAF6, NLRP3, NOD2, TLR3 and TLR4, and promoting the mRNA expression of IL4, IκBα and Bcl-2. In conclusion, these findings indicate that MBD could be a potential candidate for the treatment of IBD. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine-Derived Ingredients for Functional Foods)
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15 pages, 1810 KiB  
Article
Antioxidant Activity and DPP-IV Inhibitory Effect of Fish Protein Hydrolysates Obtained from High-Pressure Pretreated Mixture of Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) Rest Raw Material
by Elissavet Kotsoni, Egidijus Daukšas, Grete Hansen Aas, Turid Rustad, Brijesh K. Tiwari, Carmen Lammi, Carlotta Bollati, Melissa Fanzaga, Lorenza d’Adduzio, Janne Kristin Stangeland and Janna Cropotova
Mar. Drugs 2024, 22(12), 568; https://doi.org/10.3390/md22120568 - 18 Dec 2024
Viewed by 835
Abstract
The use of fish rest raw material for the production of fish protein hydrolysates (FPH) through enzymatic hydrolysis has received significant interest in recent decades. Peptides derived from fish proteins are known for their enhanced bioactivity which is mainly influenced by their molecular [...] Read more.
The use of fish rest raw material for the production of fish protein hydrolysates (FPH) through enzymatic hydrolysis has received significant interest in recent decades. Peptides derived from fish proteins are known for their enhanced bioactivity which is mainly influenced by their molecular weight. Studies have shown that novel technologies, such as high-pressure processing (HPP), can effectively modify protein structures leading to increased biological activity. This study investigated the effect of various HPP conditions on the molecular weight distribution, antioxidant activity, and dipeptidyl-peptidase IV (DPP-IV) inhibitory effect of FPH derived from a mixture of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) rest raw material. Six different treatments were applied to the samples before enzymatic hydrolysis; 200 MPa × 4 min, 200 MPa × 8 min, 400 MPa × 4 min, 400 MPa × 8 min, 600 MPa × 4 min, and 600 MPa × 8 min. The antioxidant and DPP-IV inhibitory effects of the extracted FPH were measured both in vitro and at cellular level utilizing human intestinal Caco-2 cells. The results indicated that low and moderate pressures (200 and 400 MPa) increased the proportion of larger peptides (2–5 kDa) in the obtained FPH, while treatment at 600 MPa × 4 min resulted in a higher proportion of smaller peptides (1–2 kDa). Furthermore, HPP led to the formation of peptides that demonstrated increased antioxidant activity in Caco-2 cells compared to the control, whereas their potential antidiabetic activity remained unaffected. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine-Derived Ingredients for Functional Foods)
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14 pages, 10680 KiB  
Article
Antioxidative and Anti-Atopic Dermatitis Effects of Peptides Derived from Hydrolyzed Sebastes schlegelii Tail By-Products
by Sung-Gyu Lee, Jin-Woo Hwang and Hyun Kang
Mar. Drugs 2024, 22(10), 479; https://doi.org/10.3390/md22100479 - 19 Oct 2024
Viewed by 1427
Abstract
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder associated with significant morbidity, including pruritus, recurrent skin lesions, and immune dysregulation. This study aimed to investigate the antioxidative and anti-AD effects of peptides derived from hydrolyzed Sebastes schlegelii (Korea rockfish) tail by-products. Hydrolysates [...] Read more.
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder associated with significant morbidity, including pruritus, recurrent skin lesions, and immune dysregulation. This study aimed to investigate the antioxidative and anti-AD effects of peptides derived from hydrolyzed Sebastes schlegelii (Korea rockfish) tail by-products. Hydrolysates were prepared using various enzymes, including Alcalase, Flavourzyme, Neutrase, and Protamex. Among them, Protamex hydrolysates demonstrated the highest ABTS radical scavenging activity with an RC50 value of 69.69 ± 0.41 µg/mL. Peptides were further isolated from the Protamex hydrolysate using dialysis, fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC), and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The most active peptide, STPO-B-II, exhibited a single peak and was identified as a sequence of Glu-Leu-Ala-Lys-Thr-Trp-His-Asp-Met-Lys, designated as MP003. In vivo experiments were conducted using a 2,4-dinitrochlorbenzene (DNCB)-induced AD model in NC/Nga mice. The isolated peptide, MP003, showed significantly reduced AD symptoms, including erythema, lichenification, and collagen deposition. Additionally, MP003 decreased epidermal and dermal thickness, eosinophil, and mast cell infiltration and downregulated the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, and IgE in serum and skin tissues. These findings suggest that peptides derived from Sebastes schlegelii tail by-products may serve as potential therapeutic agents for AD. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine-Derived Ingredients for Functional Foods)
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