The 3D printing (3DP) process was patented in 1986; however, only in the last decade has it begun to be used for medical applications, as well as in the fields of prosthetics, bio-fabrication, and pharmaceutical printing. 3DP or additive manufacturing (AM) is a family of technologies that implement layer-by-layer processes in order to fabricate physical models based on a computer aided design (CAD) model. 3D printing permits the fabrication of high degrees of complexity with great reproducibility in a fast and cost-effective fashion. 3DP technology offers a new paradigm for the direct manufacture of individual dosage forms and has the potential to allow for variations in size and geometry as well as control dose and release behavior. Furthermore, the low cost and ease of use of 3DP systems means that the possibility of manufacturing medicines and medical devices at the point of dispensing or at the point of use could become a reality. 3DP thus offers the perfect innovative manufacturing route to address the critical capability gap that hinders the widespread exploitation of personalized medicines for molecules that are currently not easy to deliver. This Special Issue will address new developments in the area of 3D printing and bioprinting for drug delivery applications, covering the recent advantages and future directions of additive manufacturing for pharmaceutical products.

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This book includes recent research activities in the field of food quality assurance and shelf-life extension. The goal is to broaden our current knowledge of advanced approaches to guaranteeing the maintenance of the properties of packaged products during storage. Preservation strategies based on vacuum packaging, innovative active packaging, emerging technologies, and horticultural by-products are widely discussed in specific chapters. Taken together, these research studies constitute clear evidence that achieving food shelf-life extension is still a complex and multifaceted process. The book reflects advances made in the field and, with the addition of a chapter also covering the secondary shelf-life topic, it will provide the latest research for academics working in the field of novel processing, antimicrobial/antioxidant substances, by-product recycling and active packaging. The research collected in this book is ideal for those working in the food quality industry.

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This reprint titled “Analysis of Natural Bioactive Compounds in Plant, Food, and Pharmaceutical Products Using Chromatographic Techniques” deals with the separation and analysis of natural bioactive compounds in plants, foods, and pharmaceutical products. A growing tendency toward the discovery and use of natural bioactive compounds that are least harmful, have the fewest side effects, and fit the human body the most naturally has been noticed during the past few decades. As evidenced by the rise in recent studies on the therapeutic properties of plants, this trend has caused a return of healthcare professionals to nature and plants, but with a modern approach that specifically questions how plants help to heal humans and what their exact effects on the human body are. In order to identify and analyze natural bioactive compounds in plant, food, and pharmaceutical products, this reprint attempted to compile latest improvements, advancements, and analytical innovations in chromatographic techniques. In the last few decades, tremendous research on the analysis of natural bioactive compounds in plants, foods, and pharmaceutical products using wide range of chromatography techniques have been performed. This reprint has brought together prominent researchers who have explored a diverse applications range of chromatographic techniques in the extraction, separation, identification, and analysis of natural bioactive compounds.

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Since the discovery and clinical application of penicillin, microbial natural products have played a critical role in protecting public health. However, the emergence and wide spread of drug-resistant pathogens pose a new grave threat to humankind and make this issue one of the world’s most severe public health problems. New chemical entries with antimicrobial activities, new mechanisms, or novel therapeutic methods are urgently needed for drug development. By exploring new sources, new technologies in separation and structural elucidation, genome mining, and synthetic biology, natural product research is entering a new golden age.This Special Issue on natural products with antimicrobial activities covers the discovery of new secondary metabolites, new mechanisms, and new therapeutic methods for potential application in antimicrobial drug screening and development.

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Antioxidants are a point of focus for different research fields due to their potential oxidative stress prevention and multiple biological properties, potentiating several industrial applications. This reprint provides new insights into the antioxidant properties of foods and natural products, important structural features and the mechanisms of action of antioxidants and pro-oxidants, as well as antioxidants and pro-oxidants' potential health-promoting effects.

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The exposure of animals to environmental stresses (restraint, bad housing conditions, irradiation, pollution, diseases, and heat stress) and endogenous stresses (metabolic and physiological disorders) can seriously disrupt the redox homeostasis, leading to impairments in animals’ health and overall performance. Under these circumstances, the self-antioxidant defense system may not be enough to neutralize ROS effects. In this context, the utilization of an exogenous source of antioxidants, mainly dietary sources, may present an effective and cost-effective solution. There are a plethora of substances, either naturally occurring or synthesized (organic acids, minerals, vitamins, hormones, and specific feed additives originating from plants such as essential oils and polyphenols), known for their antioxidant activity, that can be used to maintain adequate redox status in animals in order to preserve their well-being and/or productivity. This area of research still needs more investigations in order to clearly elucidate the effective antioxidant substances that could be used in practical applications, with an emphasis on their biological mechanisms during different physiological conditions and health statuses. We intend to bring together current research concerning the role of antioxidant substances either from natural sources or those synthesized for improving animal production, reproduction, health, and welfare.

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Medicinal plants and natural products have played a central role in therapeutics, being considered the origin of Pharmacy and Pharmacology. Plants are still a source in nature to obtain and isolate molecules with pharmacological applications (drug discovery), but can also be used as herbal medicinal products in traditional or complementary medicine.In addition, the WHO has launched a Traditional Medicine Strategy (2014–2023), including herbal medicines as medicinal therapies, with the aim to ensure the quality, safety, proper use, and effectiveness of traditional medicines, among other objectives.This is a reprint of articles from the Special Issue on “Bioactivity of Medicinal Plants and Extracts” published online in the open access journal Biology. This reprint includes a collection of original research and review articles on new advances in the development and application of bioactive compounds and extracts from plant matrices.

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Nature represents an amazing source of inspiration, since it produces a great diversity of natural compounds selected by evolution, which exhibit multiple biological activities and applications. A large and very active research field is dedicated to identifying biosynthesized compounds, to improve/develop new methodologies, to produce/reuse natural compounds, and to assess their potential for pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food industries, among others, and additionally, to understand their mechanism of action. This book is dedicated to presenting the most recent results on the development of natural compounds’ applications. Ten original research works, organized by applications, and two reviews are included. Each of them contributes to the knowledge advance, insofar as they present new applications for known products, new methodologies to obtain new products, or the evaluation of a given application, with the applications related to health promotion being the most frequently considered. These works are significant contributions and reinforce the dynamic field of natural products’ applications.

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Dyslipidemia, and particularly hypercholesterolemia, remains a main cardiovascular disease risk factor, partly reversible with the improvement of life-style, including dietary, habits. Even when a pharmacological treatment is begun, dietary support to lipid-lowering is always desired. This book will provide a selection of new evidence on the possible lipid-lowering effects of some dietary and medicinal plant components, reporting some interesting reviews, experimental data and results from clinical trials. The book is adapted for experts in nutrition but also for all scientists involved in cardiovascular disease prevention.

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The papers collected in this Special Issue entitled “Electrospun Nanomaterials: Applications in Food, Environmental Remediation, and Bioengineering” illustrate the high diversity and potential for implementation of electrospun nanofibers in these fields, including the covering of a wide number of subtopics. Examples of these applications have included bioactive scaffolds, wound healing dressings, compound protective nanoreservoirs and sustained and controlled release systems. An important driver of these applications results from advances in materials science and new nanofiber manufacturing processes. Definitely, such pieces of fundamental research will contribute to the promotion of electrospinning as a focal point in the future development of technological applications at the interface of biological systems, which promise long-term benefits for both health and the environment.

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Honey bee pathogens are spread worldwide and are strongly related to the decline of honey bee populations, which has severe implications for beekeeping, honey production and ecology. Honey bee pathogens are continuously studied by researchers with the aim to better understand the host­–parasite relationship of these pathogens and the effects that they have on bee colonies. Honey bee pathogens include bacteria (i.e., Melissococcus plutonius and Paenibacillus larvae), microsporidia (i.e., Nosema apis and Nosema ceranae), fungi (i.e., Ascosphaera apis), protozoa (i.e., Lotmaria passim, Crithidia bombi and Crithidia mellificae) and viruses (i.e., ABPV, CBPV, IAPV, KBV, DWV, BQCV and SBV). All of these pathogens are able to infect other bee species; infections would have important implications for their life cycles (e.g., Osmia sp. and Bombus sp.) or cause unknown epidemiological effects for other hymenopterans. In addition, old and new invasive pests (such as Varroa destructor, Aethina tumida, Vespa velutina, etc.) necessitate more studies to define their role as possible vectors or possible sources of infection for honey bees. For these reasons, knowledge on honey bee pathogens has become a matter of public interest and is connected with the critical role of honey bee health. The aim of this Special Issue is to explore honey bee pathogens, considering any aspect in relation to host–pathogen interaction and highlighting the possible interaction and spillover with other bee species and invasive pests, through a series of research articles that focus on different aspects of pathologies.

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Many research teams are working to demonstrate that microorganisms can be our daily partners, due to the great diversity of biochemical transformations and molecules they are able to produce. This Special Issue highlights several facets of the production of microbial metabolites of interest. From the discovery of new strains or new bioactive molecules issued from novel environments, to the increase in their synthesis by traditional or innovative methods, different levels of biotechnological processes are addressed. Combining the new dimensions of "Omics" sciences, such as genomics, transcriptomics or metabolomics, microbial biotechnologies are opening up incredible opportunities for discovering and improving microorganisms and their production.

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In recent years, researchers have shown a special interest in natural products as alternative methods for the prevention, treatment, and/or management of various skin illnesses and disorders, primarily due to their natural availability, efficacity, reduced cost, and minimal toxicity. In a similar vein, synthetic bioactives, as well as small molecules, have been studied in vitro, in vivo, and in clinical studies as potential drugs or supplements. This Special Issue of Nutrients comprises an array of literature reviews, original communications, and studies on the roles of natural products, synthetic bioactives, and small molecules in a variety of skin disorders and diseases, such as aging, atopic dermatitis, cutaneous T-cell lymphomas, melanoma, allergies, hyperpigmentation, inflammation, and more, which were investigated through in vitro and ex vivo approaches, preclinical trials, cell-based assays, and animal models. The mechanisms of action of certain compounds are proposed, while others are currently under investigation. The authors of the papers also explore technologies designed to improve the bioavailability and delivery of certain compounds. In lieu of ongoing research on a variety of skin disorders, the wealth of information published in this Special Issue can act as a springboard for the development of new preventive and therapeutic modalities for the management of skin diseases.

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"Natural Bioactive Compounds and Human Health" comprehensively explores the profound impact of natural substances on human well-being. From phytochemicals and antioxidants to polyphenols and beyond, this reprint delves into how these compounds, derived from plants, fungi, marine organisms, and more, contribute to health and disease prevention. Featuring contributions from experts across disciplines, it bridges traditional knowledge with modern scientific research to uncover their roles in combating chronic diseases, enhancing immune function, and promoting overall vitality. This volume serves as an invaluable resource for researchers, healthcare professionals, and anyone intrigued by the therapeutic potential of nature's bioactive compounds.

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Based on their potent antioxidant properties, the possible exploitation of natural phenolic compounds as food supplements as well as functional ingredients in the food and cosmetic industry is gaining more and more attention. This book contains original research articles and a review reporting innovative applications of natural phenolic compounds in the field of nutrition and biomedicine, as active ingredients for the prevention of oxidative-stress-related diseases, and as additives in smart food packaging, biomedical devices, and cosmetic products. The growing importance of agri-food wastes as easily accessible sources of phenolic compounds as well as of synthetic derivatives of natural compounds with improved antioxidant properties is also highlighted. Finally, novel technologies to improve extraction yields, stability, bioavailability, and delivery of antioxidant compounds for healthcare products or for skin applications are described.

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Polyphenols are natural phytochemicals recognized as one of the largest and most widespread classes of plant constituents occurring throughout the plant kingdom. Over the years, polyphenols have attracted the attention of the scientific community due to their potential health-promoting effects. Owing to their several interesting properties, polyphenols have aroused considerable interest, shedding light on their chemistry, reactivity, biological properties and their beneficial effects on both plants and humans. As a result of these investigations, a huge number of research works have been reported on polyphenols. However, despite the voluminous literature studying polyphenols and their impact on human health, there are still many issues waiting to be explored in order to explain and elucidate the positive effects of polyphenols on human health. This Special Issue was intended to gather up-to-date knowledge related to the cutting-edge research in the broad scientific area of polyphenols, providing an opportunity to show the latest advances in the exploration of polyphenols and their health beneficial effects. The special issue was a great success with more than 50 published manuscripts covering various aspects related to polyphenols and their role in human health. We are confident that this Special Issue will be of great interest to the scientific community, and will contribute to the improvement of knowledge regarding the area of polyphenols, leading to a better understanding of their role in human health.

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Polyphenols are natural phytochemicals recognized as one of the largest and most widespread classes of plant constituents occurring throughout the plant kingdom. Over the years, polyphenols have attracted the attention of the scientific community due to their potential health-promoting effects. Owing to their several interesting properties, polyphenols have aroused considerable interest, shedding light on their chemistry, reactivity, biological properties and their beneficial effects on both plants and humans. As a result of these investigations, a huge number of research works have been reported on polyphenols. However, despite the voluminous literature studying polyphenols and their impact on human health, there are still many issues waiting to be explored in order to explain and elucidate the positive effects of polyphenols on human health. This Special Issue was intended to gather up-to-date knowledge related to the cutting-edge research in the broad scientific area of polyphenols, providing an opportunity to show the latest advances in the exploration of polyphenols and their health beneficial effects. The special issue was a great success with more than 50 published manuscripts covering various aspects related to polyphenols and their role in human health. We are confident that this Special Issue will be of great interest to the scientific community, and will contribute to the improvement of knowledge regarding the area of polyphenols, leading to a better understanding of their role in human health.

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There is a close link between food and territory. The current challenges are located in precision agriculture and food metrology from the perspective of monitoring and improving food quality, and addressing the promotion of diversity of agroecosystems and diets. Research studies describing factors affecting food quality—such as agronomic conditions, post-harvest elicitors, cultivar selection, harvest date, or environmental influences—are welcome. Sustainable environmental and innovative practices should be promoted. Advanced techniques, such as mass spectrometry, infrared, and Raman spectroscopy in the monitoring and control of foodstuffs to model the agrofood system should be considered. Innovative green technologies should be taken into account. Targeting food approaches should be promoted. Chemometrics applications are welcome. This issue promotes highly interdisciplinary studies, including disciplines from agriculture and biology, chemistry, and nutrition. All types of articles, such as original research, opinions, and reviews, are welcome.

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