Bioactive Compounds in Plant-Based Functional Foods and Beverages: Processing, Bioaccessibility, and Nutritional Health

Plant-based functional foods and beverages represent a rapidly advancing field within nutrition science, linking the study of bioactive compounds with the broader challenges of food processing and nutritional delivery in modern diets. Bioactive compounds such as polyphenols, carotenoids, glucosinolates, phytosterols, peptides, prebiotic fibres, and fermentation-derived metabolites are increasingly recognised for their potential to promote health beyond basic nutrition. Recent research has shown that these compounds can contribute to lowering the risk of chronic diseases, supporting gut health, and improving metabolic processes. However, most investigations focus mainly on their clinical or biochemical functions, while the influence of processing conditions and food matrix composition on bioactive stability, bioaccessibility, and nutritional efficacy remains less understood. There is a pressing need for integrated studies that connect the nutritional and health benefits of plant-based bioactives with advances in food processing and formulation to support evidence-based functional nutrition.This Research Topic aims to explore the multiple roles of bioactive compounds in plant-based functional foods and beverages by combining perspectives from nutrition, food science, and food processing technology. It seeks to gather research that characterises the nutritional quality and biological functions of bioactive compounds while also examining how processing and preparation methods influence their composition, bioaccessibility, and health impact. Specific objectives include identifying bioactive-rich plant-based foods that provide meaningful health benefits, assessing how agricultural practices and food processing conditions affect bioactive content and bioaccessibility, and evaluating the relative effectiveness of delivering bioactives through whole foods compared with supplements or fortified products. The topic also aims to highlight how optimising processing techniques and valorising food by-products can improve nutritional outcomes and support innovative food formulation.To gain further insight into the connections between bioactive functionality, food processing, and human nutrition, this Research Topic encourages interdisciplinary submissions that address plant-based foods, beverages, and dietary patterns within a nutritional health framework. It excludes purely clinical, pharmacological, or commercial studies unrelated to food science or nutritional quality. We invite original research, systematic and mini reviews, methods papers, and policy analyses on themes including, but not limited to:Composition and diversity of bioactive compounds in plant-based foods – including fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, herbs, and fermented plant foods – across different production and agroecological systems.Effects of processing conditions – including thermal treatment, fermentation, germination, encapsulation, and minimal processing – on bioactive stability, retention, and bioaccessibility.Valorisation of bioactives recovered from plant-based food losses and processing by-products for use in reformulated functional foods and beverages.Plant-based and fermented functional beverages assessed for bioactive content, bioaccessibility, dietary contribution, and health outcomes.Dietary intakes and population health outcomes associated with plant-based bioactive consumption across diverse population groups and dietary patterns.Comparative studies of whole plant foods and supplements in terms of bioactive delivery, bioaccessibility, cost efficiency, and nutritional efficacy.Development and validation of analytical methods, in vitro bioaccessibility and digestion models, and food composition databases related to plant-based bioactive compounds.Policies, behaviours, and interventions that promote access to bioactive-rich plant-based foods and beverages, including in vulnerable or food-insecure communities. Topic editors: Senem SUNA, Zeynep Aksoylu Özbek Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/86136/bioactive-compounds-in-plant-based-functional-foods-and-beverages-processing-bioaccessibility-and-nutritional-health