Dietary Assessment and Nutrient Bioactivity: Fatty Acids, Polyphenols, Zinc and Other Micronutrients Shaping Metabolism and Immunity

The relationship between diet and health extends far beyond basic nutrient adequacy, increasingly focusing on the bioactivity, bioavailability and underlying molecular and physiological mechanisms of dietary components. While adequate intake remains a cornerstone of nutritional recommendations, optimal health is also shaped by complex interactions among nutrients, the food matrix, individual metabolic capacity and overall dietary patterns. Nutrients and bioactive compounds such as fatty acids, polyphenols, zinc and other micronutrients play critical roles in regulating metabolic pathways, in immune responses, oxidative stress and cellular signaling. Understanding how these compounds exercise their effects, both individually and in combination, and as reflected in functional biomarkers of nutritional status, is essential for advancing nutritional science and translating research findings into effective dietary strategies and public health interventions.Fatty acids, particularly long-chain omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, influence cellular signaling, inflammation modulation, metabolic regulation and cardiovascular health. Their tissue and circulating profiles are increasingly used as objective biomarkers of dietary intake and nutritional adequacy, complementing traditional dietary assessment methods. Additionally, polyphenols, as a diverse group of plant-derived bioactive compounds, contribute to antioxidant defense, anti-inflammatory responses and microbiota modulation. Their effects are influenced by food processing, digestion, metabolism, and interindividual variability. Similarly, zinc, an essential trace element, is indispensable for enzyme activity, immune competence, gene expression and antioxidant defense. Yet its status is challenging to assess due to tight homeostatic regulation and is strongly affected by dietary composition, food processing and interactions with fatty acids and polyphenols. Beyond these well-studied examples, emerging evidence highlights the roles of other micronutrients, bioactive peptides, phytochemicals and food matrix interactions in shaping health outcomes, emphasizing the need to integrate dietary intake analysis with mechanistic and biomarker-based approaches.The goal of this Research Topic is to bring together interdisciplinary studies that elucidate bioactivity, bioavailability and mechanisms of action of nutrients and bioactive compounds, linking dietary intake, nutritional adequacy and biomarker assessment across different in vitro, animal and human studies. We particularly encourage research that integrates dietary assessment methods with biochemical and functional biomarkers, including fatty acids, zinc and polyphenols to investigate nutrient interactions, food matrix effects, digestion, absorption, metabolism and the influence of various dietary patterns on health outcomes. Topic editors: Marija Takic, Marija Knez, Aleksandar Stojsavljevic Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/76735/dietary-assessment-and-nutrient-bioactivity-fatty-acids-polyphenols-zinc-and-other-micronutrients-shaping-metabolism-and-immunity