Effects of Functional Foods and Dietary Bioactives on Human Health

This Reprint brings together a collection of research and review articles from the Molecules Special Issue 'Effects of Functional Foods and Dietary Bioactives on Human Health'. It showcases advances in the discovery, characterization, and application of bioactive compounds from plants, marine organisms, fungi, and microorganisms, and highlights their roles in the prevention and management of human disease. The contributions span the full pipeline from isolation and structural elucidation of dietary bioactives, through in vitro and in vivo mechanistic studies, to translational work relevant to functional foods, nutraceuticals, and health promotion. Topics include antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anticancer and neuroprotective activities, modulation of metabolic and signalling pathways, and interactions with the gut microbiota.

The Reprint also illustrates how modern technologies such as high throughput screening, proteomics, metabolomics, genomics and synthetic biology are reshaping molecular nutrition and supporting the development of safer and more effective functional products. Together, these articles provide an up-to-date overview of how functional foods and dietary bioactives can contribute to human health, and they outline promising directions for future research and innovation.