Vol. 9, Special Issue 10, Part R (2025)

Nutrient bioavailability is the proportion of an ingested nutrient that is digested, absorbed, and metabolically available for physiological functions. Understanding how food chemistry the composition, structure and transformations of food interacts with human physiology is essential to improving nutritional outcomes. This review synthesizes current knowledge on (1) how the food matrix and processing influence bioaccessibility and bioavailability; (2) chemical and physical factors (anti-nutrients, enhancers, molecular form) that modulate uptake; (3) methods to assess bioavailability; (4) technological approaches (fortification, encapsulation, processing strategies) to enhance delivery; and (5) the emerging role of the gut microbiome and systems-level modeling. This article highlights persistent challenges and proposes directions to better connect mechanistic food-chemistry research with practical nutrition strategies.