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Citation: Chiellini, C.; Cavalieri, D.;Gabriele, M. New Developments inNutraceuticals and Functional FoodProducts: Microorganisms asAlternative Sources of Nutritive andBeneficial Components. Foods 2023,12, 2321. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12122321Received: 22 May 2023Revised: 26 May 2023Accepted: 6 June 2023Published: 9 June 2023Copyright: © 2023 by the authors.Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.This article is an open access articledistributed under the terms andconditions of the Creative CommonsAttribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).foodsEditorialNew Developments in Nutraceuticals and Functional FoodProducts: Microorganisms as Alternative Sources of Nutritiveand Beneficial ComponentsCarolina Chiellini 1 , Duccio Cavalieri 2 and Morena Gabriele 1,*1 Institute of Agricultural Biology and Biotechnology, Italian National Research Council, Via Moruzzi 1,56124 Pisa, Italy; carolina.chiellini@ibba.cnr.it2 Department of Biology, University of Florence, Via Madonna del Piano 6, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy;duccio.cavalieri@unifi.it* Correspondence: morena.gabriele@ibba.cnr.it; Tel.: +39-050-6212752Microorganisms have long been essential to human life, playing significant roles infood and beverage production, health and disease, and the environment. Nowadays,microorganisms represent an innovative biotechnological option and a source of bioac-tive and functional molecules for making new ingredients, novel foods, and functionalformulations [1]. Products and components derived from microorganisms might havebeneficial effects on human and animal health and can be successfully used in the foodand feed industry, as well as in the nutraceutical, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical fields. Ac-cordingly, microbes and microbial processes represent alternative sources of nutritive andbeneficial/functional components and an alternative strategy to obtain products with im-plemented nutritional and health features. From microalgae to probiotics and beyond, theuse of microorganisms in food production and nutrition has opened up new developmentsin research and innovation.This Special Issue focused on new developments in nutraceuticals and functional foodproducts exploiting microbial processes and microorganisms themselves as alternativesources of nutritive and functional properties. It gathers papers exploring the use of mi-croalgae as alternative food sources, due to their potential as functional feedstocks for foods,feeds, supplements, and nutraceutical formulations, as well as an eco-friendly strategy toreduce the environmental impact of some traditional food production. Microalgae can begrown in small areas and do not require large amounts of water, making them a sustainablefood source. In addition, microalgae are rich in nutrients, making them an excellent sourceof protein and other essential nutrients.In this context, Chiellini et al. [2] analyzed and compared 11 microalgal strains fromfreshwater environments for their nutraceutical properties, focusing on the phytochemicalprofile and in vitro antioxidant activities. The results helped identify four strains as po-tential candidates for simultaneous massive growth and bioactive compound productionand showed that biochemical parameters and antioxidant activities varied based on thesolvents and applied treatment rather than microalgae strains. These findings may haveimplications for the development of sustainable and healthy food products. Accordingto Macaluso et al. [3], the same microorganisms can also play a role in addressing envi-ronmental issues, e.g., reducing the polluting potential derived from different traditionalfood processing, such as olive oil mill wastewater (OMWW), which is a serious pollutant inthe Mediterranean countries due to its high content of tannins, polyphenols, polyalcohols,pectins, and lipids. Researchers demonstrated that microalgae could be a low-cost andeco-friendly solution for OMWW treatment, and the application of microalgae could bedeveloped as a full-scale approach within companies to obtain fortified microalgal biomassfor nutraceutical fields.Foods 2023, 12, 2321. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12122321 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/foodsFoods 2023, 12, 2321 2 of 4The use of selected microorganisms and mathematical modeling are two additionaltopics that are currently gaining attraction in the field of food science. The Special Issuefollows with a series of articles exploring the application of these concepts to various foodproducts. Among these, the study reported by Bianchi et al. [4] focused on the effectsof early inoculation of Lactobacillus plantarum, a homolactic acid bacteria for hexoses, onSangiovese wine quality and longevity compared with traditional inoculation at the end ofthe alcoholic fermentation of Oenococcus oeni, a heterolactic bacterial strain for hexoses. Theresearch found that early inoculation with L. plantarum resulted in higher phenolic contentin two out of the three analyzed wines, even maintained during wine aging in wood. Theresults suggest that early inoculation with L. plantarum could be a beneficial winemakingtechnique for Sangiovese grape varieties.In contrast, Zeng et al. [5] investigated the mechanism by which Lactobacillus, isolatedfrom Chinese fermented foods, promotes the secretion of 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP),a substance thought to improve depression. The study highlighted that L. pentosus LPQ1displayed the highest 5-HTP secretion-promoting effect, which was dependent on a mixtureof compounds secreted by the bacteria (termed SLPQ1) able to alter the TNF and oxidativephosphorylation signaling pathways. A similar 5-HTP promoting effect was also observedusing the SLPQ1 ultrafiltration fraction >10 kDa. The findings add information on themechanism by which L. pentosus LPQ1 promotes 5-HTP production in some cell linesin vitro.Additionally, Cela et al. [6] evaluated, in a soilless system with sub-optimal phospho-rus, the effect of Funneliformis mosseae, an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF), on thegrowth and nutritional quality of lettuce plants (Lactuca sativa L. cv. Salinas) comparedwith that on non-inoculated controls. The results showed that mycorrhizal inoculationimproved lettuce plants’ growth and nutritional quality, even at sub-optimal phosphorusconcentrations. Moreover, AMF plants showed larger phytochemical content, as well ashigher antioxidant capacity values than control plants grown at optimal P nutrition levels.Moreover, the amount of leaf gas exchange was higher in AMF-inoculated plants, and thenitrogen, phosphorus, and magnesium leaf levels were increased compared with that innon-inoculated plants grown at the same P level. These findings suggest that F. mosseaecan improve the nutritional quality and can stimulate the growth of lettuce plants even atsub-optimal P concentrations.The last two articles of this series used statistical analysis and mathematical modelingto optimize the fermentation process to obtain new products with improved functionalproperties. In this frame, Pihurov et al. [7] tested the functionality of a co-culture ofSCOBY-based membranes (Kombucha culture known as SCOBY-Symbiotic Culture ofBacteria and Yeasts) and milk kefir grains to produce functional bioactive compounds byfermenting a newly formulated black tea infusion medium supplemented with bovinecolostrum and sugar. The chemical composition of the fermented product obtained underthe optimized fermentation conditions positively impacted its functional properties in termsof antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. Indeed, the fermented product revealed highantibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Bacillus spp., antifungal activity againstAspergillus niger, and a titratable acidity of 445 ◦Th (Thörner degrees).Instead, Di Biase et al. [8] discussed the application of mathematical modeling tostudy and characterize L. plantarum ITM21B, a sourdough strain with pro-technologicaland functional features. This study aimed to determine the cardinal growth parameters forthe strain’s pH, temperature, water activity, and undissociated lactic acid. Moreover, thestrain growth, pH, total free amino acids, organic acids, and proteins were monitored underdifferent fermenting conditions, e.g., microbial load, T, and pH, of a liquid sourdough basedon wheat flour and gluten. The results showed that the strain growth and the metabolitepattern were affected by the fermentation conditions. The study highlighted that thismathematical predictive approach allowed for the simulation of the strain’s performancein different scenarios, being useful in optimizing the fermentation conditions needed toFoods 2023, 12, 2321 3 of 4obtain the suitable nutritional and technological characteristics of L. plantarum ITM21Bliquid sourdough.Finally, food ontologies are becoming increasingly important in human nutritionresearch to standardize the terminology used and to create a machine-operable conceptualmodel. The study of Vitali et al. [9], using kefir and Parmigiano Reggiano as representativesof fresh and ripened dairy products, proposed such a semantic model for concepts related toconsuming fermented foods from both a technological and health perspective to formalizethe role of specific microbial taxa, and specific gene pathways, in the different steps of thedairy fermentation process. In this way, their model lays down a connection between theactors (taxa and pathways) involved in the raw ingredient transformation of fermenteddairy products, connects them to resulting metabolites, and analyzes their consequenceson the fermented product.In conclusion, this Special Issue includes eight outstanding papers describing examplesof the most recent advances in the applications of microbial processes and microorganismsthemselves as alternative sources of nutritive and beneficial components for food productsand derivatives thereof, exploring their bioactive component, as well as their biotechnologi-cal and techno-functional properties. The use of microorganisms and microbial processes indeveloping nutraceutical and functional foods has broad potential, and their applicationscan lead to novel, sustainable, and healthy food products. Further research in this field isessential not only to develop more effective and environmentally friendly approaches toapply with already studied microorganisms but also to identify new ones and to isolatemicrobial functional components.Author Contributions: Conceptualization, C.C. and M.G.; validation, C.C. and M.G.; resources, C.C.,D.C. and M.G.; writing—original draft preparation, C.C., D.C. and M.G.; writing—review and editing,C.C., D.C. and M.G.; visualization, C.C., D.C. and M.G.; supervision, M.G.; project administration,M.G. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.Data Availability Statement: Data sharing not applicable.Conflicts of Interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.References1. Rani, A.; Saini, K.C.; Bast, F.; Mehariya, S.; Bhatia, S.K.; Lavecchia, R.; Zuorro, A. Microorganisms: A potential source of bioactivemolecules for antioxidant applications. Molecules 2021, 26, 1142. [CrossRef] [PubMed]2. Chiellini, C.; Serra, V.; Gammuto, L.; Ciurli, A.; Longo, V.; Gabriele, M. Evaluation of Nutraceutical Properties of Eleven MicroalgalStrains Isolated from Different Freshwater Aquatic Environments: Perspectives for Their Application as Nutraceuticals. Foods2022, 11, 654. [CrossRef] [PubMed]3. Macaluso, M.; Chiellini, C.; Ciurli, A.; Guglielminetti, L.; Najar, B.; Taglieri, I.; Sanmartin, C.; Bianchi, A.; Venturi, F.; Zinnai, A.Application of Five Different Chlorella sp. Microalgal Strains for the Treatment of Vegetation Waters Derived from UnconventionalOil Extractions Enriched with Citrus Byproducts. Foods 2022, 11, 1398. [CrossRef] [PubMed]4. Bianchi, A.; Taglieri, I.; Venturi, F.; Sanmartin, C.; Ferroni, G.; Macaluso, M.; Palla, F.; Flamini, G.; Zinnai, A. TechnologicalImprovements on FML in the Chianti Classico Wine Production: Co-Inoculation or Sequential Inoculation? Foods 2022, 11, 1011.[CrossRef] [PubMed]5. Zeng, Y.; Song, J.; Zhang, Y.; Huang, Y.; Zhang, F.; Suo, H. Promoting Effect and Potential Mechanism of Lactobacillus pentosusLPQ1-Produced Active Compounds on the Secretion of 5-Hydroxytryptophan. Foods 2022, 11, 3895. [CrossRef] [PubMed]6. Cela, F.; Avio, L.; Giordani, T.; Vangelisti, A.; Cavallini, A.; Turrini, A.; Sbrana, C.; Pardossi, A.; Incrocci, L. Arbuscular MycorrhizalFungi Increase Nutritional Quality of Soilless Grown Lettuce while Overcoming Low Phosphorus Supply. Foods 2022, 11, 3612.[CrossRef] [PubMed]7. Pihurov, M.; Păcularu-Burada, B.; Cotârlet, , M.; Bahrim, G.E. Tailoring the Optimized Fermentation Conditions of SCOBY-BasedMembranes and Milk Kefir Grains to Promote Various Functional Properties. Foods 2022, 11, 3107. [CrossRef] [PubMed]Foods 2023, 12, 2321 4 of 48. Di Biase, M.; Le Marc, Y.; Bavaro, A.R.; Lonigro, S.L.; Verni, M.; Postollec, F.; Valerio, F. Modeling of Growth and Organic AcidKinetics and Evolution of the Protein Profile and Amino Acid Content during Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ITM21B Fermentationin Liquid Sourdough. Foods 2022, 11, 3942. [CrossRef] [PubMed]9. Vitali, F.; Zinno, P.; Schifano, E.; Gori, A.; Costa, A.; De Filippo, C.; Seljak, B.K.; Panov, P.; Devirgiliis, C.; Cavalieri, D. Semantics ofDairy Fermented Foods: A Microbiologist’s Perspective. Foods 2022, 11, 1939. [CrossRef] [PubMed]Disclaimer/Publisher’s Note: The statements, opinions and data contained in all publications are solely those of the individualauthor(s) and contributor(s) and not of MDPI and/or the editor(s). MDPI and/or the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury topeople or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content.

New Developments in Nutraceuticals and Functional Food Products: Microorganisms as Alternative Sources of Nutritive and Beneficial Components

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New Developments in Nutraceuticals and Functional Food Products: Microorganisms as Alternative Sources of Nutritive and Beneficial Components

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