Bioactive Compounds in Foods and Their By-Products

This Reprint presents a comprehensive and updated overview of the scientific advances on bioactive compounds derived from foods and their by¿products, highlighting their relevance for human health, food innovation, and sustainable resource management. The contributions explore how plant matrices and agricultural residues can be transformed into functional ingredients through processes such as freeze¿drying, enzymatic hydrolysis, germination, and fermentation. Studies included in the Reprint examine the enrichment of bread and gluten¿free products with broccoli stalks, artichoke residues, and mixed fruit-vegetable by¿products, demonstrating improvements in fiber content, antioxidant capacity, and metabolic responses.Other articles characterize the phytochemical richness and biological activities of mango leaves, apricot cultivars, Elaeagnus angustifolia, Ajuga iva, and sweet potato roots, revealing antioxidant, anti¿inflammatory, antidiabetic, and neuroprotective properties. Additional research investigates hydroxytyrosol¿enriched olive pomace juice and germinated oat extracts, showing their ability to modulate metabolic and neurotrophic pathways. Reviews on classical fermentations, probiotics, and acerola by¿products further expand the scientific framework, emphasizing the role of microbial metabolism and plant biodiversity in generating high¿value functional molecules.