Contemporary living is continuously leading to poor everyday choices resulting in the manifestation of various diseases. The benefits of plant-based nutrition are undeniable and research on the topic is rising. Modern man is now aware of the possibilities that plant nutrition can provide and is seeking ways to benefit from it. Dietary phenolic compounds are among the easily accessible beneficial substances that can exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, antiparasitic, analgesic, anti-diabetic, anti-atherogenic, antiproliferative, as well as cardio-and neuroprotective activities. Several industries are exploring ways to incorporate biologically active substances in their produce. This review is concentrated on presenting current information about the dietary phenolic compounds and their contribution to maintaining good health. Additionally, this content will demonstrate the importance and prosperity of natural compounds for various fields, i.e., food industry, cosmetology, and biotechnology, among others.

The food sector is constantly responding to consumers’ increased demands concerning healthy nutrition and beneficial ingredients. This study presented the development of three pudding alterations using lyophilized fruit (apricots, plum–apricots, and plums) powders. The same concentrations of fruit powder fully substituted the sugar in each formulation. The results showed that each new formulation formed a thick gel consistency and had full water-holding capacity at 24 h of storage. The color differed according to the established CIE-lab data. The lightness varied from 42.57 ± 1.97 (pudding formulation using plum powder) to 81.91 ± 1.18 (control sample). The total soluble solids and titratable acidity showed that the control sample was different from each new formulation. The water activity was similar in all studied samples varying from 0.978 ± 0.003 to 0.989 ± 0.001, and the plum and plum–apricot formulations had a pH near the control samples, at 6.54 and 7.23, respectively. The antioxidant activity, total polyphenol content, and total flavonoid content were also evaluated. The ABTS assay revealed the highest results compared to the other three applied methods. The sensory evaluation showed that it is necessary to further improve the recipes for better consumer perception.

There is an increasing interest in foods with added nutritional value. This study presents the prospect of creating tahini-oat bars as an accessible snack option with added value from Prunus avium L. dried fruits. Four new formulations, containing different amounts of tahini, oats, bee honey, cherries, pumpkin flour, and “In shape mix”, were developed in order to cater the changing demands of consumers. Physical characteristics, texture analysis, water activity, microbial load, antioxidant potential and sensory profile aided in the evaluation of the newly developed products. The newly presented products are such of enhanced functional characteristics. Their colour spectra were significantly different from the control sample. The texture attributes also revealed a difference from the control sample in terms of increased hardness and cohesiveness. The moisture content ranged from 2.90±0.78 % (control sample) to 10.92±1.86 % (Formulation 3). The measured water activity was the lowest in the control sample and the highest in Formulation 1 (0.788±0.006). The study revealed a potential in the development of ready-to-eat healthy snacks.