Phytochemicals in Food

Overview

Phytochemicals in food are naturally occurring bioactive compounds produced by plants that occur in fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, grains, and other plant-derived foods. Distinct from the essential nutrients, these compounds include polyphenols, flavonoids, carotenoids, glucosinolates, and terpenoids, and many display antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. In foods, phytochemicals contribute to color, flavor, and aroma, and they have attracted scientific interest both for potential health-promoting effects and for their ability to help preserve food by inhibiting oxidation and microbial growth. Research in nutrition science investigates the content of these compounds in particular plants, the factors that affect their concentration and stability, and how they behave when used as natural ingredients or preservatives. Within this journal's coverage of food and nutrition, relevant work includes a study of oregano (Origanum vulgare) extract for food preservation and improving gastrointestinal health, and a study of rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus) describing its health-promoting benefits and food-preservative properties. Both examine plant extracts rich in phytochemicals and their dual role in supporting health and extending food quality. This page gathers peer-reviewed, open-access research relevant to the topic.

Research published in this journal

9 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.

How this research is being cited

The 9 articles above have been cited 263 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Nov 2026.

• Food-Derived Antidiabetic Peptides as Multi-Target Systemic Regulators: A Comprehensive Review of Sources, Preparation, Mechanisms and Future Perspectives
  2026 · Foods
• Eating and Mental Health Disorders
  2026 · Nutrients
• Pre- and post-harvest spectral estimation of carnosic acid and rosmarinic acid in rosemary
  2026 · Computers and Electronics in Agriculture
• Ethnobotanical diversity of the genus Salvia L. (Lamiaceae): From medicinal and culinary applications to cultural importance of sage species across the globe
  2026 · Journal of Ethnopharmacology
• Pharmacological management of lamiaceae plants: Exploring antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anticancer activities
  2026 · South African Journal of Botany
• Pharmacological profiling of Salvia rosmarinus and Salvia verbenaca: Linking antioxidant, cholinesterase, and analgesic activities to traditional uses
  2026 · South African Journal of Botany
• Rosemary extract improves thermo-oxidative stability of Camellia seed oil by selectively protecting against double bond-distal β-scission rather than proximal sites
  2026 · LWT
• Targeting atherosclerosis with medicine and food homology substances: Mechanistic insights and application strategies
  2026 · Journal of Ethnopharmacology

A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Phytochemicals in Food, linking to each citing work.

This page summarises published research for orientation; it is not medical or professional advice.

Related topics