ABSTRACT
Bioactive compounds, including phenolic compounds, carotenoids, minerals, essential oils, fatty acids, vitamins, peptides, amino acids, and enzymes, are present plentifully in natural food products, particularly in vegetables, fruits, herbs, spices, oils, and whole grains. These compounds have numerous health benefits and can decrease the risk of several diseases such as diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer’s, stroke, cataracts, and heart diseases. Most of these compounds are antioxidants that stimulate defense mechanisms for the improvement of the response to oxidative stress, the inhibition of cell damage, or the enhancement of cell repair. Bioactive compounds in plants can be defined as the secondary metabolites that can elicit toxicological or pharmacological properties in animals and humans, depending on their structures. Among bioactive compounds, phenolic compounds are known as the most important and have abundant proven health benefits. Nowadays, bioactive compounds have great applications in food, pharmaceutical, and medical industries, where modern technologies such as spray drying encapsulation play a crucial role towards their protection and safe delivery.
