Nutraceutical Foods: Science, Health Benefits, and Future Applications

Title: Nutraceutical Foods: Science, Health Benefits, and Future Applications

Authors: Nivetha Muralikrishnaa and Dr. John Wyson

Author Affiliations:

• Nivetha Muralikrishnaa, Department of Food Processing Technology, Academy of Maritime Education and Training (AMET), Deemed to be University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
• Dr. John Wyson, Department of Food Processing Technology, Academy of Maritime Education and Training (AMET), Deemed to be University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

Publisher: Cogniverse Press, Jorhat, Assam, India

First Edition: August 2026

DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.22066379

ISBN: 978-81-68073-11-1 (Print Edition)

e-ISBN: 978-81-68073-12-8 (Digital Edition)

Cover Designing: Cogniverse Press Digital Team

Copyright: © Authors

Printed at: Cogniverse Press, Nakari Gaon, Borigaon Siding, Jorhat – 1

Website: cogniversepress.com

Email: cogniversepress@gmail.com

The views, interpretations, and research findings presented in this publication are solely those of the respective authors. The publisher bears no responsibility or liability for the accuracy, completeness, or validity of the content herein.

The increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, nutritional imbalances, ageing-related conditions, and lifestyle-associated disorders has strengthened interest in food-based strategies for promoting health and preventing disease. Nutraceutical foods occupy an important position at the interface of nutrition, food science, and preventive healthcare because they provide bioactive components capable of influencing physiological functions beyond basic nourishment.

Nutraceutical Foods: Science, Health Benefits, and Future Applications presents a multidisciplinary account of the scientific principles, health implications, technological developments, and emerging opportunities associated with nutraceutical foods.

The book examines major bioactive constituents, including polyphenols, flavonoids, carotenoids, dietary fibres, probiotics, prebiotics, postbiotics, omega-3 fatty acids, bioactive peptides, phytosterols, vitamins, minerals, and functional proteins. It also explains their digestion, bioavailability, metabolism, antioxidant activity, anti-inflammatory effects, immunomodulatory functions, cellular signalling, and interactions with the gut microbiota.

The chapters explore the potential applications of nutraceutical foods in cardiovascular, metabolic, gastrointestinal, immune, cognitive, skeletal, and age-related health. Product development, extraction, encapsulation, fermentation, drying, packaging, storage stability, quality assurance, safety, toxicology, regulation, labelling, and health claims are also addressed.

Attention is given to sustainable ingredient sourcing, agro-industrial by-product utilisation, food-waste valorisation, green extraction, and circular-bioeconomy approaches. Emerging developments in precision nutrition, personalised nutraceuticals, artificial intelligence, omics technologies, microbiome research, and digital health demonstrate the rapidly changing direction of the field.

This book is intended for undergraduate and postgraduate students, researchers, academicians, food scientists, nutritionists, dietitians, healthcare professionals, product developers, and industry stakeholders. It aims to support teaching, research, evidence-based practice, and responsible innovation.

By connecting traditional knowledge with contemporary scientific evidence, the book seeks to encourage nutraceutical solutions that are safe, effective, accessible, ethically developed, and environmentally sustainable.

Authors

• Nivetha Muralikrishnaa
• Dr. John Wyson

• Fundamentals and classification of nutraceutical foods
• Bioactive components and their physiological functions
• Digestion, absorption, bioavailability, and metabolism
• Nutraceutical applications in human health and disease prevention
• Functional food development and nutraceutical product design
• Processing technologies, stability, and quality assurance
• Safety, toxicology, regulation, labelling, and health claims
• Sustainability, food-waste valorisation, and circular bioeconomy
• Precision nutrition and personalised nutraceuticals
• Artificial intelligence, omics technologies, and digital health