Functional Foods, Synbiotics, and Gut Microbiota: Advances in Plant-Based Nutrition and Human Health

The field of nutritional science is increasingly focused on the interplay between functional foods, synbiotics, and the gut microbiota as critical determinants of human health. Recent research demonstrates that plant-based diets can profoundly influence microbial diversity and metabolic pathways, thereby modulating immune function, inflammation, and chronic disease risk. Synbiotics, which synergistically combine prebiotic and probiotic components, especially those sourced from plants, have gained attention as potent modulators of the gut–host interface. However, current understanding of their strain-specific effects, molecular mechanisms, and consistency across populations remains limited. Ongoing studies employing metagenomics, metabolomics, and clinical trials have advanced knowledge in this field, yet significant gaps persist regarding dosage standardisation, formulation stability, and long-term outcomes of plant-based synbiotics.This Research Topic aims to deepen the scientific understanding of how functional plant-derived foods and synbiotic formulations shape the gut microbiome and promote systemic health. It encourages exploration of molecular and metabolic mechanisms linking bioactive plant compounds to microbial modulation, addresses key questions regarding how plant-based diets influence gut–brain, gut–immune, and gut–metabolic axes, and seeks to translate emerging evidence into practical human health strategies. The goal is to establish a multidisciplinary dialogue that integrates food science, microbiology, nutrition, and clinical medicine to advance precision nutrition and evidence-based dietary guidance.To gather further insights into plant-origin functional foods and their influence on the gut ecosystem, this Research Topic invites contributions that explore, but are not limited to, the following themes:o Bioactive compounds in plant-based functional foods and their mechanisms in gut modulationo Design and optimisation of synbiotic formulations derived from plant sourceso Gut microbiota diversity, structure, and function in response to plant-based dietso Gut-axis interactions influencing metabolic, immune, cardiovascular, and neurological healtho Clinical and translational evidence from intervention studies on synbiotic supplementationo Personalised nutrition strategies and inter-individual differences in microbiome responseo Sustainable and equitable food systems supporting plant-based functional nutrition Topic editors: Smriti Chaturvedi, Priyanka Arya Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/85791/functional-foods-synbiotics-and-gut-microbiota-advances-in-plant-based-nutrition-and-human-health