Optimizing Health and Sustainability: Innovations in Harnessing Phytochemicals for Functional Foods

Abstract

Phytochemicals, bioactive compounds of plant sources, have drawn considerable interest in research and development in the field of functional foods owing to their potential health impacts and importance in sustainable food. This review deliberates the modern advances in employing phytochemicals to improve food production sustainability and enhance health. Improvements in phytochemical extraction and processing, their addition to functional food products and their usage in addressing global public health glitches such as cardiovascular disease, metabolic disease, and cognitive impairment are important areas. The paper also highlights the role of circular food economies, sustainable food systems, and food waste valorization in exploiting the usage of phytochemicals. Problems of bioavailability, regulatory acceptance, and consumer acceptance persist despite their massive potential. In understanding the full potential of phytochemicals in functional foods, upcoming efforts will be intended at interdisciplinary investigation into consortia, personalized nutrition, and artificial intelligence-driven food invention. This assessment highlights the need for a sustainable food system and explores the findings to improve the longevity of both humans and the environment.