Epidemiological evidence has suggested that bioactive food components such as polyphenols, polysaccharides, flavonoids, peptides, and saponins offer versatile health-promoting properties. A healthy diet can help prevent the development of various non-communicable diseases such as cancer, diabetes, obesity, colitis, and cardiovascular diseases. However, more cell culture or animal studies are still needed to further clarify the bioactivities, including their safety risk and the underlying mechanisms of action, before applying many of these bioactives in the food industry.

In order to enhance the growth of research related to food bioactives and their biological activities, this Special Issue is proposed to seek original works or reviews addressing the effects of bioactive food components on the safety, nutrition and quality of food as well as their potential biological activities and effects. Both original research and review articles are welcome, especially those which provide significant information for the extensive applications of these bioactives in improving both food production and human health.

Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

• Chemistry relating to antioxidants, phytochemicals, botanicals, protein hydrolysates, peptides, and polysaccharides
• Influence of different processing methods on the chemistry of bioactive components in food
• Bioavailability of bioactive components in food
• Isolation and identification of bioactives in food
• Food components and human health
• Food safety and toxicology