Advances in Phenolic Compounds in Cereals: Diversity, Biosynthesis, Bioavailability and Function

The bioactive compounds present in cereals have aroused the interest of consumers and play an important role for human health and diet. As a staple food for much of the global population, cereals are a key food for increasing compounds beneficial to human health globally.

The bioactive molecules accumulated in this cereal, especially phenolic compounds, have known antioxidant activity. These compounds are biosynthesized via phenylpropanoids, and the accumulation of phenolic compounds is highly dependent on factors such as cultivar / genotype, agronomic management, and environmental conditions before harvest and during post-harvest. Furthermore, the preservation of phenolic compounds after harvest is influenced by the conditions of drying, storage and processing.

The content of these bioactive compounds in cereals is an important quality factor, as it is directly associated with the health benefits of consumers through mechanisms such as: preventing oxidative damage from low density lipids and lipoproteins, inhibiting platelet aggregation, and reducing the risk of coronary heart disease and cancer.

Storage conditions and post-harvest technologies can help reduce the degradation or loss of bioactive compounds and even promote their accumulation. Physiological, biochemical, and molecular changes can be correlated with nutraceutical variations in the pre and post-harvest phases. Another important strategy is the regulation of the biosynthetic pathway of phenylpropanoids can lead to the preservation or improvement of the nutraceutical value of the products. Therefore, understanding how phenolic compounds accumulate in cereals, how to potentiate or preserve them, as well as continued development of quantification methods and techniques are fundamental to the quality of the crop and products.

This Research Topic aims to gather the latest advances in the area of phenolic compounds in cereals. It will address the development of knowledge about factors that affect synthesis and conservation, as well as approaches to increase the bioavailability of phenolic compounds in cereals or cereals products.

In this Research Topic, we invite Original Research articles, Review articles and Opinion articles focusing on:
• New insights into the biosynthesis and catabolism of phenolic compounds in cereals and their relationship with growing conditions.
• Regulation of biosynthesis of phenolic compounds in cereals.
• New strategies for enriching cereals with bioavailable phenolic compounds.
• Innovative post-harvest technologies or treatments capable of promoting or preserving phenolic compounds in rice.
• The potential role of molecular studies and genetic improvements for greater accumulation of phenolic compounds in cereals.
• The effects of post-harvest and industrialization processes on phenolic compounds in cereals.
• New techniques or methods for identifying and quantifying phenolic compounds in cereals and its products.

Please note: descriptive studies that report responses of growth, yield, or quality to a specific treatment will not be considered if they do not progress the physiological understanding of these responses.