Antioxidant Activities and Induction Production Approaches (Physical, Chemical and Biotechnological) of Plant-based Bioactive Nutrients

Plant-based bioactive nutrients are naturally occurring compounds derived from plants (e.g., microalgae, vegetables, and fruiters) that provide significant health benefits beyond basic nutrition. These bioactive compounds, such as carotenoids, anthocyanin, polyphenols, flavonoids, and alkaloids, are widely recognized for their potent antioxidant activities, which play an essential role in preventing oxidative stress-related diseases, including cardiovascular disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, and cancers, through scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS) and free radicals, thus protecting cellular components from oxidative damage and promoting overall health. Currently, these antioxidant-associated compounds have been extensively applied in food industries as plant-based food ingredients to improve the related food nutritive values and qualities. For instance, microalgae-derived astaxanthin oleoresin has been added into whole, semi-skimmed and skimmed milk to not only simulate the color of apricot, but also strengthen the antioxidant capacities of milk. Additionally, phenolic extracts from blackberry and green tea have been blended into yogurt and bread, respectively, to enhance the antioxidant activities of these common foods.

However, plants include a wide range of photosynthetic organisms coming from hundreds of thousands of phyla, the current investigations are far from enough to fully understand the nutrient profiles of a broader range of plants in association with their antioxidant activities, especially for those uninvestigated phyla. The objective of this Research Topic is thus initiated, trying to collect up-to-date scientific articles and review papers closely associated with this field in a comprehensive manner, via particularly focusing on the roles of these bioactive nutrients contributed to their antioxidant activities and their potential to be developed as novel food ingredients. This topic is intended to focus on, not only the determination of the total antioxidant activities of uninvestigated plants using traditional and popular assays such as 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), Trolox-equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), etc., but also the identification of their corresponding antioxidative components contributed to such antioxidant roles, in terms of their clear chemical structures and mechanisms of action using the techniques of gas chromatography – mass spectrometer (GC-MS), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography – triple quadrupole mass detector (UPLC-QQQ), liquid chromatograph with ion-trap and time-of-flight mass spectrometers (LCMS-IT-TOF), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), etc.

In addition, since plants are the carriers of bioactive nutrients, how to maximize the biosynthesis and productions of these compounds in plant cells is another crucial aspect to be addressed. Recently, various production approaches based on physical, chemical and biotechnological techniques to induce production of these bioactive metabolites in plant cells have been greatly developed. For example, physical induction techniques such as UV-B exposure treatment could enhance flavonoid and phenolic acid accumulation in fruits and vegetables, or carotenoid biosynthesis in microalgae by activating defense-related pathways. Furthermore, chemical elicitors, such as jasmonic acid, salicylic acid, and ethylene, are extensively employed to enhance secondary metabolite production in plants. These compounds act as signaling molecules that trigger specific biosynthetic pathways, leading to accumulation of polyphenols, alkaloids, and terpenoids. Moreover, traditional and emerging biotechnologies, including genetic engineering, metabolic engineering and gene editing tools such as CRISPR/Cas9 can be used to regulate key biosynthetic genes in plant cells, resulting in higher antioxidant content in plants and increased production of plant-based bioactive metabolites. Nevertheless, because each technique has its own merits and drawbacks, deepened understanding about these techniques in order to select the essence and discard the gross, for achieving the maximal productions of plant-based bioactive nutrients, has triggered wide concerns over the years.

As such, this Research Topic’s purpose is also intended to explore various innovative and emerging techniques, in association with physical, chemical and biotechnological manners, for maximizing the productions of bioactive nutrients in plant cells that are the candidates of salutary nutraceuticals.

The original and review manuscripts associated with the following topics are welcomed:
1. Nutrient profiles and antioxidant activities of uninvestigated plants (e.g., microalgae, vegetables, and fruiters) using both antioxidant assay and chemical structure identification.
2. Application studies of plant-based and antioxidant-associated nutrients in food industries;
3. Production of plant-based bioactive nutrients by innovative and emerging physical induction techniques;
4. Production of plant-based bioactive nutrients by innovative and emerging chemical induction techniques;
5. Production of plant-based bioactive nutrients by innovative and emerging biotechnological techniques.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Clinical Trial
• Conceptual Analysis
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• ... View all formats

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Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Clinical Trial
• Conceptual Analysis
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: plant antioxidant, induction, nutrient, microalgae

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