Edited and reviewed by: José Antonio Teixeira, University of Minho, Portugal
†These authors have contributed equally to this work and share first authorship
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In the era of modernization, the health of both individuals and the planet has been compromised and deteriorated at an alarming pace. Consequently, with heightened awareness, a significant shift in consumer predilection toward food choices and environmental consciousness has been observed. Functional foods support sustainability at a large scale by reducing waste production, promoting plant-based diets, enhancing nutrition, supporting local economies, and lowering environmental impact, thereby emerging as a bridge between human challenges (nutrition, disease prevention) and the planet. Functional foods are rich in antioxidants, essential vitamins and minerals, phytochemicals, and probiotics; therefore, they were found effective in not only improving public health but also in improving immunity, gut health and reducing the risk of chronic diseases. The purified, extracted compounds recovered from various food sources are termed nutraceuticals, capable of reducing the burden of chemical drugs used in the conventional treatment of health implications. Sustainable practices adopted for the production and processing of food stuff help ensure the food supply for future generations without causing any complications and harm to the environment through waste production and packaging material misuse.
In this context, the current Research Topic “
Fish are a vital source of protein and essential fatty acids for billions of people globally, but climate change, overfishing, and pollution threaten their sustainability.
Sustainable sources and production of food are crucial for deciding the nutritional and medicinal potential of food. Therefore, a wide variety of crops are more nutritious as compared cultivated crops in terms of their phytochemicals, antioxidants, amino acids, vitamins, anthocyanins, and mineral content. To further elucidate this point,
Sustainable processing of food using green techniques helps enhance the functional properties and applications of foods. In this context, research conducted by
To meet the consumer demand for natural and transparent food additives or ingredients, clean-labeled products are widely accepted and prioritized. Incorporation of green techniques, such as microwave or ultrasound in the recovery of bioactive compounds further drives this approach toward sustainable practice through advancing functional food innovation and environmentally responsible production. In the same line,
Additionally,
The present Research Topic highlights the capacity of functional foods and sustainable practices in development of functional and clean-label foods conserving the health and wellbeing of the individuals and the planet. Green extraction techniques are instrumental in conserving the bioactive treasure from agro-waste, and further elucidating the potential as functional food additives in enhancing the nutritional quality and shelf life of the food. The natural bioactives are bountiful in health benefits; therefore, these studies collectively demonstrate the alignment between food innovation, health benefits and environmental stewardship through waste reduction and resource optimization. Sustainable approaches contribute to a resilient, health-focused, and eco-conscious food system for future generations.
PS: Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing, Project administration, Conceptualization. TK: Methodology, Formal analysis, Project administration, Writing – review & editing, Validation. NP: Writing – review & editing, Supervision, Formal analysis, Project administration. SS: Project administration, Writing – review & editing, Writing – original draft, Methodology, Conceptualization.
The editors extend gratitude to all reviewers for their expertise and thoughtful feedback, which greatly contributed to the enhancement of the quality of this Research Topic. The editors also thank the Respected Heads of the Department of Biosciences, Bioengineering and Chemistry, Integral University, Lucknow, for the support.
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.