Enhancing Functional Dairy Foods: Bioactive Compounds in Fermented Matrices

The field of food science and technology is increasingly focused on the development of functional foods, which provide additional health benefits beyond basic nutrition. This trend is driven by consumer demand for products enriched with bioactive compounds such as lipids, peptides, fibers, and plant-derived compounds. However, the challenge lies in maintaining or improving the quality and sensory properties of these products to ensure consumer acceptance. Recent studies have highlighted the potential of dairy matrices to enhance the stability of bioactive compounds during manufacture, storage, and shelf life. Despite these advancements, there remains a gap in understanding how these compounds interact within different food matrices, and how these interactions affect the nutritional and functional properties of the final products. Additionally, the use of sustainable materials and nanotechnology in food design is an emerging area that requires further exploration. 

This research topic aims to gather the latest insights into the incorporation of bioactive compounds in fermented dairy matrices and their impact on the nutritional, techno-functional, and sensory properties of the products. The objective is to answer specific questions related to the stability and efficacy of these compounds in dairy foods, and to test hypotheses regarding their health benefits and consumer acceptance. By addressing these questions, the research aims to contribute to the development of high-quality, functional dairy products that meet current consumer demands and sustainability goals. 

To gather further insights into the incorporation of bioactive compounds in fermented dairy foods, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes: 

- New high-quality yogurts and cheeses with bioactive properties: enriched in bioactive lipids, peptides, reduced in lactose, enriched in fibers (prebiotics and others) 

- Application of food micro/nanostructures to design high-quality dairy food products with enhanced functional value 

- Use of different herbs and spices valued for their antimicrobial, antioxidant, and nutritional properties 

- Application of bioactives extracted from agricultural and/or horticultural waste 

- In-vitro and in-vivo studies that reveal the potential health benefits of dairy food products .

Keywords: Dairy foods, Nanotechnology, Bioactive compounds, Food waste, Food structure, Fermented dairy foods, Functional properties, Functional food, Food sensory properties

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.