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Functional Food

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lightbulbAbout this topic
Functional food refers to food products that provide health benefits beyond basic nutrition, often containing bioactive compounds that may enhance health or reduce the risk of disease. These foods are designed to promote optimal health and well-being through their specific physiological effects.
lightbulbAbout this topic
Functional food refers to food products that provide health benefits beyond basic nutrition, often containing bioactive compounds that may enhance health or reduce the risk of disease. These foods are designed to promote optimal health and well-being through their specific physiological effects.

Key research themes

1. How can fermentation with specific microbial strains enhance the nutritional and functional properties of natural food sources to develop functional foods?

This research area focuses on leveraging microbial fermentation, particularly with lactic acid bacteria like Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, to improve the biochemical composition of natural foods such as purple sweet potato flour. Fermentation can increase essential amino acids, minerals, and health-promoting fatty acids, enhancing the nutritional and functional value of foods and supporting their status as functional foods. Understanding the enzymatic activities of microbial strains and their impact on nutrient bioavailability and bioactive compound profiles is critical for optimizing fermentation processes and sustainable functional food production.

Key finding: Demonstrated significant enhancement in essential and non-essential amino acids, minerals (including zinc, calcium, potassium), and essential fatty acids (linoleic and linolenic acids increased by 55.5% and 100%,... Read more
Key finding: Presented formulation of a new sustainable functional food product incorporating inulin, lactoferrin, and sericin, intended as an adjuvant for gastric mucosa repair, emphasizing the integration of bioactive compounds in... Read more
Key finding: Reviewed extraction and application of natural bioactive compounds, notably phenolics, vitamins, dietary fibers, and essential oils from plant materials, with significant antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. This paper... Read more
Key finding: Detailed bioactive compounds such as polyphenols, flavonoids, and essential oils from foods like garlic, turmeric, berries, ginger, and green tea, showing mechanisms of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective... Read more

2. What are the challenges and technological innovations in processing and developing functional foods to meet consumer expectations for health benefits and sustainability?

This theme explores the intersection of food technology, processing techniques, and market-driven innovation aimed at developing functional foods that effectively deliver health benefits while ensuring sustainability and sensory appeal. It investigates traditional and emerging technologies such as microencapsulation, blending, hurdle technology, and 3D food printing, as well as the importance of novel sensory and formulation strategies in consumer acceptance. Also, it addresses bottlenecks like nutrient stability, regulatory frameworks, and the necessity of clinical validations.

Key finding: Identified grouping of processing techniques into traditional, preservation-focused (microencapsulation, edible coatings), and personalized nutrition technologies. Emphasized that while traditional formulation and blending... Read more
Key finding: Reviewed advances in sustainable and low-impact processing technologies such as high pressure processing, pulsed electric fields, and ultrasound, which help maintain the integrity of thermolabile bioactive compounds (e.g.,... Read more
Key finding: Stressed the role of food design and design thinking frameworks in optimizing the development and implementation of functional foods, focusing on user experience, sensory appeal, and socio-cultural acceptance. Advocated... Read more
Key finding: Provided comprehensive classification and definitions surrounding functional foods and their components worldwide, elaborating on varying regulatory approaches (e.g., Foods for Specified Health Use in Japan). Highlighted... Read more

3. How do functional foods influence health outcomes across populations, particularly in chronic disease prevention and aging?

This research theme investigates the epidemiological and clinical evidence supporting functional foods in disease risk reduction, immune modulation, and the promotion of healthy aging. It encompasses studies on bioactive compounds' mechanisms of action, population-specific dietary patterns, and the challenges in translating functional food science into personalized nutrition strategies. Emphasis is placed on nutrigenomics, dietary quality indices, and tailored interventions to address noncommunicable diseases and age-related health decline.

Key finding: Underlined the necessity for in vivo randomized, controlled clinical trials to substantiate functional foods' efficacy in cardiometabolic disease prevention. Highlighted the Mediterranean diet as a model for personalized... Read more
Key finding: Reported that functional foods enriched with fibers, omega-3 fatty acids, phytoestrogens, polyphenols, carotenoids, probiotics, and plant sterols improve nutritional status and quality of life in older adults. Acknowledged... Read more
Key finding: Reviewed diet quality indices as quantitative tools to evaluate population dietary adequacy relative to chronic disease prevention. Discussed the multidimensional nature of diet quality, incorporating nutrients, food groups,... Read more
Key finding: Summarized evidence that functional foods with immunomodulatory, antiviral, and antioxidative bioactive components (e.g., multivitamins, polyphenols) can support host immune responses against SARS-CoV-2. Emphasized functional... Read more
Key finding: Highlighted the importance of probiotics, prebiotics, and functional foods in restoring gut microbiome dysbiosis caused by COVID-19 infection and variants, influencing systemic immunity and patient outcomes. This paper... Read more

All papers in Functional Food

Honeybee products, as multicomponent substances, have been a focus of great interest. The present work aimed to perform the nutritional and chemical profiling and biochemical characterization of bee pollen (BP), bee bread (BB), and royal... more
This work aimed to evaluate Moringa oleifera immature pod flour's effect on the nutritional content and bioaccessibility of phytochemicals in partially substituted wheat flour breads. Different bread preparations were made and the most... more
Bitter hydrophilic phenolic compounds contained in virgin olive oil (VOO) beneficially affect human health. However, consumers mostly do not tolerate oils with a pronounced bitter taste (bitterness index K 225 ! 0.360) and this could... more
Algunos métodos empleados durante el procesado industrial de cereales y leguminosas producen una reducción en la concentración de ácido fítico presente, sin embargo, ésta reducción o inactivación es sólo parcial. Con la finalidad de... more
Background: Dietary sodium excess and calcium deficiency represent concurrent public health challenges in Singapore, linked to hypertension and rising rates of osteoporotic fractures, respectively. Although packaged bread is a primary... more
India, which is ranked 102nd out of 123 countries in the 2025 Global Hunger Index, has serious problems with malnutrition and the rising prevalence of chronic diseases. In addition to offering vital macronutrients and micronutrients,... more
Pleurotus ostreatus is an edible mushroom with many functional compounds. In previous studies, it has been shown that solid-state fermentation of Phaseolus vulgaris and Avena sativa by this fungus increases essential amino acids,... more
All the requests for authorisation to bear health claims under Articles 13(5) and 14 in the context of appetite ratings and weight management have received a negative opinion by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), mainly because of... more
Lobelia nicotianifolia is commonly known as wild tobacco, exhibits potential antiseptic, antimicrobial, antivenom, analgesic and antiepileptic properties and is traditionally used to treat various respiratory ailments. This study aimed to... more
Type 5 diabetes mellitus (T5DM) is an emerging and distinct form of diabetes primarily associated with chronic undernutrition and predominantly observed in low-and middle-income countries. Unlike type 1 and type 2 diabetes, T5DM is... more
Probiotic products are mostly well known marketed in the type of fermented milks including yoghurt, yakult and acidophilus milk. However, with an increase in vegetarians throughout the developed countries, there is also a demand for the... more
Although many food components are reportedly beneficial to body-weight management, lack of understanding of molecular mechanisms and their function in overall adiposity under physiological conditions hinders successful and safe... more
This study investigated the effect of high-pressure homogenization (HPH) as a pretreatment integrated with Soxhlet, microwave, and ultrasound extraction of polyphenols from pomegranate peels. The HPH condition at 50 MPa with 10 passes was... more
Pigmented grains are rich sources of bioactive compounds which can act as antioxidants and has potential to scavenge free radicals and singlet oxygen ions. This study aimed to evaluate the polyphenolic profiling of 11 Indian pigmented... more
Las frutas conforman un grupo de alimentos muy necesarios en la dieta humana. Su contenido en agua, fibra, vitaminas y minerales las hacen una fuente de nutrientes imprescindible para disfrutar una vida saludable. Entre las frutas... more
Türkiye gıda sektörü, artan maliyetler, yoğun rekabet koşulları ve değişken tüketici talepleri karşısında verimlilik artırıcı yöntemlere yönelmek zorunda kalmaktadır. Bu bağlamda yalın üretim, israfın azaltılması, süreçlerin... more
Quinoa is considered as a complete food due to its high nutritive value. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of feeding on different concentration of quinoa seeds (Chenopodium quinoa Willd) powder on diabetic experimental... more
This research was planned to study the gizzards mushroom beef patties and the effect of replacing beef meat with gizzards meat (10, 20, 30, and 40%) on quality attributes as chemical composition, physical properties and microbiological... more
An intense acceptance of functional foods due to consumer's demand, social attitudes, scientific evidence of the human health benefits of a particular ingredient coupled with commercially driven interest to add value to existing foods... more
Preclinical in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrate potent effects of pomegranate preparations in cancer cell lines and animal models with chemically induced cancers. We have carried out one systematic review of the effectiveness of... more
Introduction: Functional foods have been widely utilized to reduce the symptoms of various diseases such as diabetes mellitus (DM). Among the foods used to combat these effects are soluble fibres, mainly those rich in beta- glucans (BGs).... more
This study aims to optimize the formulation of Batiah, a traditional Indonesian rice-based snack, as a functional food by modifying the starch source and enriching it with targeted phytochemical compounds. The innovation focuses on... more
For centuries, mushrooms have been used as food and medicine in different cultures. More recently, many bioactive compounds have been isolated from different types of mushrooms. Among these, immunomodulators have gained much interest... more
Banana peel (Musa balbisiana) contains bioactive compounds with potential antimicrobial activity that may support diabetic ulcer management. This study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial activity of banana peel extracts and their cream... more
Hyperlipidemia is a leading cause of obesity-related diseases in Africa particularly in Nigeria and efforts have been ongoing in reducing the prevalence through diet interventions by compositely combining plant materials from breadfruit... more
Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) was initially introduced to Alberta as a spice and forage crop. Numerous animal and clinical studies have associated the medicinal properties of the plant with galactomannan, diosgenin and... more
Методичні вказівки до виконання кваліфікаційної роботи магістра для здобувачів вищої освіти за спеціальністю 161 -Хімічні технології та інженерія, освітньою програмою -Хімічні технології неорганічних речовин / Уклад. В.
Cape gooseberry (Physalis peruviana L.) is a minor fruit crop belongs to the family Solanaceae. Twelve genotypes of cape gooseberry namely as CITH
Water kefir is a non-dairy fermented beverage that ferments water kefir grains in a sucrose solution. These grains harbor a diverse microbiota, including lactic acid bacteria, acetic acid bacteria, and yeast species. The composition of... more
The current study looked at the effects of fortified biscuits with Sesame seeds (S), Peanut seeds (P) and sprouted whole Sunflower seeds (SF) on Dexamethasone (DEX)-induced osteoporosis in female rats. The results reported that biscuits... more
The injuries caused by spray drying (SD) of three potential probiotic lactobacilli isolated from kefir grains and the impact on some probiotic properties, were evaluated. Results demonstrated that Lactobacillus plantarum 83114 and L.... more
Kefiran, the polysaccharide produced by microorganisms present in kefir grains, is a water-soluble branched glucogalactan containing equal amounts of D-glucose and D-galactose. In this study, the effect of kefiran on the biological... more
Background: There has been an increased interest in the development of sustainable food systems and it has led to the exploration of agro-waste as means of producing value added food ingredients. Banana (Musa acuminata) peels are rich in... more
The aim of this study was to assess the nutrient composition and sensory properties of breakfast cereal made from yellow maize and enriched with soybean and groundnut flours. Yellow maize was replaced with groundnut (GF) (15-35%) and... more
The aim of this study was to assess the nutrient composition and sensory properties of breakfast cereal made from yellow maize and enriched with soybean and groundnut flours. Yellow maize was replaced with groundnut (GF) (15-35%) and... more
Human food foraging in community forests offers extensive and expandable sources of food and high-quality nutrition that support chronic disease prevention and management and are underrepresented in US diets. Despite severe gaps in... more
Escherichia coli O157:H7 is an important foodborne pathogen that can cause serious gastrointestinal illness, and represents a significant public health threat because it has the potential to contaminate many different foods. There is... more
There is an exponential increase in dementia in old age at a global level because of increasing life expectancy. The prevalence of neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer's disease (AD) will continue to rise steadily,... more
Background: Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.) belongs to the family Moraceae.Two cultivars of jackfruit are popular in Kerala being "Koozha" and "Varikka" The rind of jackfruit is mostly thrown away or given to cattle. This issue... more
Background: Kombucha, a fermented tea beverage, has gained widespread popularity due to its potential health benefits. Traditionally produced by fermenting tea and sugar with a Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast (SCOBY), kombucha... more
Background: Gelatin is widely used in food industry and other industries as an emulsifying and emulsifying agent. Ultrasoundassisted extraction (UAE) was used to produce gelatin from tuna skin to enhance its physicochemical properties and... more
Agaricus bisporus is a cultivated mushroom; A. bitorquis, A. campestris and A. macrosporus are edible mushrooms growing wild in nature.
Suillus granulatusproved to be a source of nutraceuticals and bioactive compounds.
A detailed comparative study on chemical and bioactive properties of wild and cultivated Ganoderma lucidum from Serbia (GS) and China (GCN) was performed. This species was chosen because of their worldwide use as medicinal mushroom.... more
Background: There is a growing interest worldwide to identify novel functional foods able to exert important biochemical activities with low or without toxic effect. Accordingly, the use of Salvia hispanica L. (chia) a Mexican herb, has... more
Bioactive ingredients (BI) bestow various health-promoting outcomes on consumers, including treating or preventing diabetes, obesity, cancer, coronary heart diseases, and so on. Several BI have been found in nature, such as flavonoids,... more
Lupine, an underutilized legume with high protein content, offers a promising plant-based protein source for functional foods. This study evaluated four lupine genotypes to determine how extraction pH (EpH) and isoelectric precipitation... more
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