It is now well accepted that the consumption of plant-based foods is beneficial to human health. Fruits, vegetables, grains, and derived products can be excellent sources of minerals, vitamins, and fiber and usually have a favorable nutrient-to-energy ratio. Furthermore, plant foods are also a rich source of phytochemicals such as polyphenols, carotenoids, and betalains, with potential health benefits for humans. Many epidemiological studies have made a direct link between the consumption of plant foods and health. Human intervention studies have also shown that higher intake/consumption of plant foods can reduce the incidence of metabolic syndrome and other chronic diseases, especially in at-risk populations such as obese people. In addition to its health benefits, plant foods are also used as functional ingredients in food applications such as antioxidants, antimicrobials, and natural colorants. The Special Issue “Foods of Plant Origin” covers biodiscovery, functionality, the effect of different cooking/preparation methods on bioactive (plant food) ingredients, and strategies to improve the nutritional quality of plant foods by adding other food components using novel/alternative food sources or applying non-conventional preparation techniques.
Subjects
minerals Allium sativum L vitamin A intake value-added product phytochemicals antioxidant activity FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) stable isotope dilution assay antioxidant capacity volatile compounds stir-frying thioesters Chenopodium quinoa sinigrin beta-carotene EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) indigenous food boiling subtropical fruits processing organosulfur compounds mineral availability nutrients orange fleshed sweet potato kaempferol composition glycaemic index estimation Brassica vegetables retention vitamin A postharvest quality underutilized crop health antimicrobial activity porridge Brassica microwave vacuum drying instant controlled pressure drop vitamins tropical fruits bioactive compounds UHPLC-QqQ-MS/MS DRIs/DRVs (Dietary Reference Intakes/Dietary Reference Values) and AI (Adequate Intake) food preservation polyphenols conductive hydro-drying sulforaphane Australian grown garlic Solanum tuberosum L gluten-free pasta bakery products LC-MS/MS digestibility skimmed milk gari feijoa fruit Terminalia ferdinandiana HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS protein quality functional properties folate photo technology Kakadu plum dietary fibre Capsicum annuum L fibre thioacetals esters antioxidants polyunsaturated fatty acids vegetables steaming preservation Artocarpus altilis ‘Ma’afala’ Acca sellowiana plant food freeze-drying postharvest processing propionate proximate composition iberin shelf life indigenous crop cultivar starch durian Cassava