Skip to main content

An Overview of Different Food Bioactive Ingredients

  • Living reference work entry
  • First Online:
Handbook of Food Bioactive Ingredients

Abstract

The concept of bioactive compounds (bioactives) and their relationship with human diet is not a new idea; however, the desire to exploit their potential leads to an understanding of the scientific basis of their mode of action. A bioactive compound is a chemical molecule that exerts a beneficial effect on some functions of the human body, e.g., improving health, and well-being, and reducing the risk of diseases. Over the last decades, there has been a resurgence of interest in ingredients obtained from natural sources, especially due to the public awareness of safe and healthy food products. Bioactives may be extracted from plant or animal sources, as well as from different environments such as the marine environment or microorganisms. Once isolated, these compounds can be used for nutritional, pharmaceutical, or cosmetic purposes by being added to other products. Throughout this chapter, the bioactives that can be used as ingredients for the manufacture of functional foods will be described. Thus, compounds such as phenolic compounds, carotenoids, bioactive peptides, fatty acids, essential oils, and vitamins, as well as living organisms will be discussed. In the next chapters, a more detailed description of various aspects related to these bioactives will be provided. In addition to their nutritional value, it is recognized that food can be health-promoting, so scientists and health and nutrition professionals are focused on translating scientific evidence into practical application in the consumer’s daily diet.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Albenzio M, Santillo A. Biochemical characteristics of ewe and goat milk: effect on the quality of dairy products. Small Rumin Res. 2011;101:33–40.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Angiolillo L, Del Nobile MA, Conte A. The extraction of bioactive compounds from food residues using microwaves. Curr Opin Food Sci. 2015;5:93–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Angioni A, Barra A, Coroneo V, Dessi S, Cabras P. Chemical composition, seasonal variability, and antifungal activity of Lavandula stoechas L. ssp. stoechas essential oils from stem/leaves and flowers. J Agric Food Chem. 2006;54:4364–70.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Arruda HS, Geraldi MV, Cedran MF, Bicas JL, Junior MRM, Pastore GM. Prebiotics and probiotics. In: Bioactive food components activity in mechanistic approach. Elsevier; 2022. p. 55–118.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Ballabio C, Chessa S, Rignanese D, Gigliotti C, Pagnacco G, Terracciano L, Fiocchi A, Restani P, Caroli AM. Goat milk allergenicity as a function of αS1-casein genetic polymorphism. J Dairy Sci. 2011;94:998–1004.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Benbouguerra N, Hornedo-Ortega R, Garcia F, El Khawand T, Saucier C, Richard T. Stilbenes in grape berries and wine and their potential role as anti-obesity agents: a review. Trends Food Sci Technol. 2021;112:362–81.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bhat ZF, Kumar S, Bhat HF. Bioactive peptides of animal origin: a review. J Food Sci Technol. 2015;52:5377–92.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Bhavaniramya S, Vishnupriya S, Al-Aboody MS, Vijayakumar R, Baskaran D. Role of essential oils in food safety: antimicrobial and antioxidant applications. Grain Oil Sci Technol. 2019;2:49–55.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Biluca FC, da Silva B, Caon T, Mohr ETB, Vieira GN, Gonzaga LV, Vitali L, Micke G, Fett R, Dalmarco EM. Investigation of phenolic compounds, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities in stingless bee honey (Meliponinae). Food Res Int. 2020;129:108756.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bohn T. Carotenoids and markers of oxidative stress in human observational studies and intervention trials: implications for chronic diseases. Antioxidants. 2019;8:179.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Boncan DAT, Tsang SS, Li C, Lee IH, Lam H-M, Chan T-F, Hui JH. Terpenes and terpenoids in plants: interactions with environment and insects. Int J Mol Sci. 2020;21:7382.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Brownlee IA. The physiological roles of dietary fibre. Food Hydrocoll. 2011;25:238–50.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Buscemi S, Corleo D, Di Pace F, Petroni ML, Satriano A, Marchesini G. The effect of lutein on eye and extra-eye health. Nutrients. 2018;10:1321.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Caseiro M, Ascenso A, Costa A, Creagh-Flynn J, Johnson M, Simões S. Lycopene in human health. LWT. 2020;127:109323.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chai KF, Voo AYH, Chen WN. Bioactive peptides from food fermentation: a comprehensive review of their sources, bioactivities, applications, and future development. Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf. 2020;19:3825–85.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cheung RCF, Ng TB, Wong JH. Marine peptides: bioactivities and applications. Mar Drugs. 2015;13:4006–43.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • D’Angelo S, Motti ML, Meccariello R. ω-3 and ω-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, obesity and cancer. Nutrients. 2020;12:2751.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Daliri EB-M, Oh DH, Lee BH. Bioactive peptides. Foods. 2017;6:32.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • De Carvalho LMJ, Ortiz GMD, de Carvalho JLV, de Oliveira ARG. Carotenoids in raw plant materials. Progr Carotenoid Res. 2018;107

    Google Scholar 

  • del Carmen Villegas-Aguilar M, Fernández-Ochoa Á, Leyva-Jiménez FJ, Miranda-Segura Á, de la Luz Cádiz-Gurrea M, Segura-Carretero A. Phenolic compounds. In: Bioactive Food Components Activity in Mechanistic Approach. Elsevier; 2022. p. 27–53.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Dhingra D, Michael M, Rajput H, Patil RT. Dietary fibre in foods: a review. J Food Sci Technol. 2012;49:255–66.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Djuricic I, Calder PC. Beneficial outcomes of omega-6 and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on human health: an update for 2021. Nutrients. 2021;13:2421.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Dowling JE. Vitamin A: its many roles—from vision and synaptic plasticity to infant mortality. J Comp Physiol A. 2020;206:389–99.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fan R, You M, Toney AM, Kim J, Giraud D, Xian Y, Ye F, Gu L, Ramer-Tait AE, Chung S. Red raspberry polyphenols attenuate high-fat diet–driven activation of NLRP3 inflammasome and its paracrine suppression of adipogenesis via histone modifications. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2020;64:1900995.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fernandes P, Cabral JMS. Phytosterols: applications and recovery methods. Bioresour Technol. 2007;98:2335–50.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gençdağ E, Görgüç A, Yılmaz FM. Recent advances in the recovery techniques of plant-based proteins from agro-industrial by-products. Food Rev Int. 2021;37:447–68.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gibson GR, Roberfroid MB. Dietary modulation of the human colonic microbiota: introducing the concept of prebiotics. J Nutr. 1995;125:1401–12.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gibson GR, Hutkins R, Sanders ME, Prescott SL, Reimer RA, Salminen SJ, Scott K, Stanton C, Swanson KS, Cani PD. Expert consensus document: the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) consensus statement on the definition and scope of prebiotics. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2017;14:491–502.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gogus U, Smith C. N-3 omega fatty acids: a review of current knowledge. Int J Food Sci Technol. 2010;45:417–36.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Görgüç A, Gençdağ E, Yılmaz FM. Bioactive peptides derived from plant origin by-products: biological activities and techno-functional utilizations in food developments–a review. Food Res Int. 2020;136:109504.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gu C, Howell K, Dunshea FR, Suleria HA. Lc-esi-qtof/ms characterisation of phenolic acids and flavonoids in polyphenol-rich fruits and vegetables and their potential antioxidant activities. Antioxidants. 2019;8:405.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Haminiuk CW, Maciel GM, Plata-Oviedo MS, Peralta RM. Phenolic compounds in fruits–an overview. Int J Food Sci Technol. 2012;47:2023–44.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hill C, Guarner F, Reid G, Gibson GR, Merenstein DJ, Pot B, Morelli L, Canani RB, Flint HJ, Salminen S. The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics consensus statement on the scope and appropriate use of the term probiotic. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2014;11:506–14.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Huang Z, Liu Y, Qi G, Brand D, Zheng SG. Role of vitamin A in the immune system. J Clin Med. 2018;7:258.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Imran M, Ghorat F, Ul-Haq I, Ur-Rehman H, Aslam F, Heydari M, Shariati MA, Okuskhanova E, Yessimbekov Z, Thiruvengadam M. Lycopene as a natural antioxidant used to prevent human health disorders. Antioxidants. 2020;9:706.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Iwatani S, Yamamoto N. Functional food products in Japan: a review. Food Sci Hum Wellness. 2019;8:96–101.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jain C, Khatana S, Vijayvergia R. Bioactivity of secondary metabolites of various plants: a review. Int J Pharm Sci Res. 2019;10:494–504.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jo C, Khan FF, Khan MI, Iqbal J. Marine bioactive peptides: types, structures, and physiological functions. Food Rev Int. 2017;33:44–61.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jones PJ, Jew S. Functional food development: concept to reality. Trends Food Sci Technol. 2007;18:387–90.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jones PJ, MacDougall DE, Ntanios F, Vanstone CA. Dietary phytosterols as cholesterol-lowering agents in humans. Can J Physiol Pharmacol. 1997;75:217–27.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kaur N, Chugh V, Gupta AK. Essential fatty acids as functional components of foods-a review. J Food Sci Technol. 2014;51:2289–303.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kondratyuk TP, Pezzuto JM. Natural product polyphenols of relevance to human health. Pharm Biol. 2004;42:46–63.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kumar N, Goel N. Phenolic acids: natural versatile molecules with promising therapeutic applications. Biotechnol Rep. 2019;24:e00370.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu Y, Qi Y, Chen X, He H, Liu Z, Zhang Z, Ren Y, Ren X. Phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity in red-and in green-fleshed kiwifruits. Food Res Int. 2019;116:291–301.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • López-Expósito I, Amigo L, Recio I. A mini-review on health and nutritional aspects of cheese with a focus on bioactive peptides. Dairy Sci Technol. 2012;92:419–38.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mannino AM, Micheli C. Ecological function of phenolic compounds from Mediterranean fucoid algae and seagrasses: an overview on the genus Cystoseira sensu lato and Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile. J Mar Sci Eng. 2020;8:19.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marhuenda-Munoz M, Hurtado-Barroso S, Tresserra-Rimbau A, Lamuela-Raventós RM. A review of factors that affect carotenoid concentrations in human plasma: differences between Mediterranean and northern diets. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2019;72:18–25.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Masotti V, Juteau F, Bessière JM, Viano J. Seasonal and phenological variations of the essential oil from the narrow endemic species Artemisia molinieri and its biological activities. J Agric Food Chem. 2003;51:7115–21.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mathavi V, Sujatha G, Ramya SB, Devi BK. New trends in food processing. Int J Adv Eng Technol. 2013;5:176.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mercadante AZ, Rodrigues DB, Petry FC, Mariutti LRB. Carotenoid esters in foods-a review and practical directions on analysis and occurrence. Food Res Int. 2017;99:830–50.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mitra S, Paul S, Roy S, Sutradhar H, Bin Emran T, Nainu F, Khandaker MU, Almalki M, Wilairatana P, Mubarak MS. Exploring the immune-boosting functions of vitamins and minerals as nutritional food bioactive compounds: a comprehensive review. Molecules. 2022;27:555.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Moruisi KG, Oosthuizen W, Opperman AM. Phytosterols/stanols lower cholesterol concentrations in familial hypercholesterolemic subjects: a systematic review with meta-analysis. J Am Coll Nutr. 2006;25:41–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Naveed R, Hussain I, Tawab A, Tariq M, Rahman M, Hameed S, Mahmood MS, Siddique AB, Iqbal M. Antimicrobial activity of the bioactive components of essential oils from Pakistani spices against salmonella and other multi-drug resistant bacteria. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2013;13:1–10.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nguyen TT, Kosciolek T, Eyler LT, Knight R, Jeste DV. Overview and systematic review of studies of microbiome in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. J Psychiatr Res. 2018;99:50–61.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Nimalaratne C, Wu J. Hen egg as an antioxidant food commodity: a review. Nutrients. 2015;7:8274–93.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Oleskin AV, Shenderov BA. Probiotics and psychobiotics: the role of microbial neurochemicals. Probiotics Antimicrob Proteins. 2019;11:1071–85.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Oreopoulou V, Tzia C. Utilization of plant by-products for the recovery of proteins, dietary fibers, antioxidants, and colorants. In: Utilization of by-products and treatment of waste in the food industry. Springer; 2007. p. 209–32.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Pichersky E, Noel JP, Dudareva N. Biosynthesis of plant volatiles: nature’s diversity and ingenuity. Science. 2006;311:808–11.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Pradhan D, Mallappa RH, Grover S. Comprehensive approaches for assessing the safety of probiotic bacteria. Food Control. 2020;108:106872.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Prakash B, Kujur A, Singh PP, Kumar A, Yadav A. Plants-derived bioactive compounds as functional food ingredients and food preservative. J Nutr Food Sci. 2017;1

    Google Scholar 

  • Procopio FR, Ferraz MC, Paulino BN, do Amaral Sobral PJ, Hubinger MD. Spice oleoresins as value-added ingredient for food industry: recent advances and perspectives. Trends Food Sci Technol. 2022;122:123–39.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Przybylski R, Firdaous L, Châtaigné G, Dhulster P, Nedjar N. Production of an antimicrobial peptide derived from slaughterhouse by-product and its potential application on meat as preservative. Food Chem. 2016;211:306–13.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Quideau S, Deffieux D, Douat-Casassus C, Pouységu L. Plant polyphenols: chemical properties, biological activities, and synthesis. Angew Chem Int Ed. 2011;50:586–621.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rastall RA. Functional oligosaccharides: application and manufacture. Annu Rev Food Sci Technol. 2010;1:305–39.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Reddy MB, Love M. The impact of food processing on the nutritional quality of vitamins and minerals. Impact Process Food Saf. 1999:99–106.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roberfroid M, Slavin J. Nondigestible oligosaccharides. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2000;40:461–80.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rodrigues FJ, Cedran MF, Bicas JL, Sato HH. Encapsulated probiotic cells: relevant techniques, natural sources as encapsulating materials and food applications–a narrative review. Food Res Int. 2020;137:109682.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sadh PK, Duhan S, Duhan JS. Agro-industrial wastes and their utilization using solid state fermentation: a review. Bioresour Bioprocess. 2018;5:1–15.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Saini RK, Keum Y-S. Omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids: dietary sources, metabolism, and significance—a review. Life Sci. 2018;203:255–67.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sánchez A, Vázquez A. Bioactive peptides: a review. Food Qual Saf. 2017;1:29–46.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sánchez-González L, Vargas M, González-Martínez C, Chiralt A, Chafer M. Use of essential oils in bioactive edible coatings: a review. Food Eng Rev. 2011;3:1–16.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sanders ME, Merenstein DJ, Reid G, Gibson GR, Rastall RA. Probiotics and prebiotics in intestinal health and disease: from biology to the clinic. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2019;16:605–16.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sharma M, Wasan A, Sharma RK. Recent developments in probiotics: an emphasis on Bifidobacterium. Food Biosci. 2021;41:100993.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sheppard KW, Cheatham CL. Omega-6/omega-3 fatty acid intake of children and older adults in the US: dietary intake in comparison to current dietary recommendations and the healthy eating index. Lipids Health Dis. 2018;17:1–12.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Silva CC, Silva SP, Ribeiro SC. Application of bacteriocins and protective cultures in dairy food preservation. Front Microbiol. 2018;9:594.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Sowbhagya HB. Value-added processing of by-products from spice industry. Food Qual. Saf. 2019;3:73–80.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Suleria HAR, Osborne S, Masci P, Gobe G. Marine-based nutraceuticals: an innovative trend in the food and supplement industries. Mar Drugs. 2015;13:6336–51.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Taticchi A, Urbani S, Albi E, Servili M, Codini M, Traina G, Balloni S, Patria FF, Perioli L, Beccari T. In vitro anti-inflammatory effects of phenolic compounds from Moraiolo virgin olive oil (MVOO) in brain cells via regulating the TLR4/NLRP3 axis. Molecules. 2019;24:4523.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Tungmunnithum D, Thongboonyou A, Pholboon A, Yangsabai A. Flavonoids and other phenolic compounds from medicinal plants for pharmaceutical and medical aspects: an overview. Medicines. 2018;5:93.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Uchiyama S, Taniguchi Y, Saka A, Yoshida A, Yajima H. Prevention of diet-induced obesity by dietary black tea polyphenols extract in vitro and in vivo. Nutrition. 2011;27:287–92.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Udenigwe CC, Aluko RE. Food protein-derived bioactive peptides: production, processing, and potential health benefits. J Food Sci. 2012;77:R11–24.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Verkaik-Kloosterman J, McCann M, Hoekstra J, Verhagen H. Vitamins and minerals: issues associated with too low and too high population intakes. Food Nutr Res. 2012;56:5728.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vuolo MM, Lima VS, Junior MRM. Phenolic compounds: structure, classification, and antioxidant power. Bioactive Compounds Elsevier. 2019:33–50.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weaver CM. Bioactive foods and ingredients for health. Adv Nutr. 2014;5:306S–11S.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Xing L, Liu R, Cao S, Zhang W, Guanghong Z. Meat protein based bioactive peptides and their potential functional activity: a review. Int J Food Sci Technol. 2019;54:1956–66.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Xu Q, Hong H, Wu J, Yan X. Bioavailability of bioactive peptides derived from food proteins across the intestinal epithelial membrane: a review. Trends Food Sci Technol. 2019;86:399–411.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yadav M, Verma MK, Chauhan NS. A review of metabolic potential of human gut microbiome in human nutrition. Arch Microbiol. 2018;200:203–17.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Z, Lv J, Pan L, Zhang Y. Roles and applications of probiotic lactobacillus strains. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2018;102:8135–43.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zhu C, Naqvi S, Gomez-Galera S, Pelacho AM, Capell T, Christou P. Transgenic strategies for the nutritional enhancement of plants. Trends Plant Sci. 2007;12:548–55.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jesus Simal-Gandara .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2023 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this entry

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this entry

Garcia-Marti, M., Jafari, S.M., Rashidinejad, A., Xiao, J., Simal-Gandara, J. (2023). An Overview of Different Food Bioactive Ingredients. In: Jafari, S.M., Rashidinejad, A., Simal-Gandara, J. (eds) Handbook of Food Bioactive Ingredients. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-81404-5_1-1

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-81404-5_1-1

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-81404-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-81404-5

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Biomedicine and Life SciencesReference Module Biomedical and Life Sciences

Publish with us

Policies and ethics