Technology-Driven Functional Food Design: How Extraction and Dehydration Shape Bioactivity

The efficacy of functional foods depends largely on the retention of their bioactive compounds (phenolic compounds, vitamins, carotenoids, sulfur-containing compounds, etc.) throughout the process from raw material to final product. Conventional extraction techniques, such as Soxhlet extraction and maceration with organic solvents, currently coexist with emerging methods, including ultrasound-assisted extraction, accelerated solvent extraction, supercritical fluid extraction, pulsed electric field-assisted extraction, and microwave-assisted extraction. In addition to these alternatives, there is the use of natural deep eutectic solvents (NaDES), which are considered promising extraction media and are potentially more sustainable than conventional organic solvents due to their low volatility, adjustable composition, and ability to enhance the extraction and, under certain conditions, the stabilization of bioactive compounds. Each of these methods exhibits distinct profiles in terms of yield, selectivity, and sustainability. Furthermore, dehydration techniques—such as freeze-drying, spray drying, vacuum microwave drying, and convective drying—determine the structural and chemical stability of these compounds during processing and storage. However, the scientific literature often treats extraction and dehydration as separate stages, without considering their combined effect on the final bioactivity of the food. This lack of methodological integration hinders the rational design of functional foods with optimized and reproducible bioactive profiles on an industrial scale.The Research Topic aims to compile current evidence on the impact of both conventional and emerging extraction and dehydration techniques on the retention, degradation, and bioavailability of bioactive compounds during the design of functional foods. It also aims to help bridge the gap between studies focused exclusively on extraction and those focused solely on dehydration, promoting an integrated approach that facilitates the optimization and industrial scaling of processes without compromising the biological functionality of the final product. All contributions must clearly demonstrate relevance to human nutrition and health, linking processing outcomes to functional, physiological, or bioavailability endpoints rather than extraction/dehydration efficiency alone.This Research Topic welcomes original research articles, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, narrative reviews, and perspectives focused on methodological advances. Specific topics include, among others:• Dehydration methods and their effect on the stability of bioactive compounds (freeze-drying, spray drying, vacuum microwave drying, among others).• Emerging technologies for the extraction of bioactive compounds (ultrasound-assisted extraction, accelerated solvent extraction, supercritical fluid extraction, pulsed electric fields, microwave-assisted extraction, the use of Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents (NaDES), among others).• Evaluation of bioactivity and bioavailability following combined extraction-dehydration processing.• Process optimization and industrial scaling of sustainable technologies.• Impact of processing conditions on the food matrix and the functionality of the final product.• Incorporation of bioactive compounds/extracts into food matrices for the design of functional foods (fortification, encapsulation, controlled-release systems), evaluating their technological and sensory compatibility as well as their stability during processing and storage.Submissions focused solely on process optimization or extraction/dehydration efficiency, without a demonstrated link to food functionality, bioavailability, or human nutritional relevance, fall outside the scope of this Research Topic. Topic editors: Jéssica López, Débora Cerdá-Bernad, Helena Nunez Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/84539/technology-driven-functional-food-design-how-extraction-and-dehydration-shape-bioactivity