Food Proteins and Peptides as Antioxidants: Resource, Extraction, Functional Property and Application
A special issue of Antioxidants (ISSN 2076-3921). This special issue belongs to the section "Extraction and Industrial Applications of Antioxidants".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2026 | Viewed by 719
Special Issue Editors
Interests: food proteins; bioactive components; molecular interaction; structure and function; encapsulation and delivery; alternative proteins
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: bioactive components; protein gels; polysaccharides; synergism; biopolymer-based delivery system; in vitro digestion; functional additives and foods
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: proteins; polysaccharides; probiotics; bioactive components; biopolymer-based delivery system; fermentation
Interests: protein nano assemblies; dairy proteins; in vitro gastrointestinal digestion; protein-polysaccharide composite delivery systems; peptide hydrogels
Interests: enzyme catalysis; enzymatic therapy; drug delivery; biosensing; functional nanomaterials; nanofertilizer; plant stress tolerance
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Food proteins and their derived peptides serve as both bioactive and functional ingredients in the food industry. Emerging evidence demonstrates that proteins and their derived peptides from both conventional dietary sources (e.g., dairy, eggs, legumes, cereals) and novel alternatives (e.g., algae, insects, microbial proteins) exhibit potent antioxidant capacities. These bioactivities include free radical scavenging (e.g., DPPH/ABTS quenching), metal ion chelation, and modulation of cellular redox signalling pathways (e.g., Nrf2/Keap1 activation), positioning them as sustainable alternatives to synthetic antioxidants. Furthermore, food proteins possess excellent functionalities that facilitate the design and fabrication of edible delivery systems, which can overcome the limitations of natural antioxidants used in food and pharmaceutical industries.
With the growing demand for sustainable and alternative protein sources, there is an urgent need to explore novel resources, optimize extraction technologies, and clarify their nutritional and functional properties for potential uses in food and health fields. This Special Issue aims to compile cutting-edge research and reviews on the discovery, processing, characterization, and utilization of food proteins with high-performance functionality and antioxidant activity from conventional and unconventional sources. We welcome contributions highlighting interdisciplinary studies that bridge molecular insights with innovations, addressing challenges in sustainable protein utilization, novel extraction methods, and tailored functionalities for health and industry.
Prof. Dr. Li Liang
Dr. Hao Cheng
Dr. Wusigale
Dr. Muhammad Aslam Khan
Guest Editors
Dr. Di Li
Dr. Xin Yin
Guest Editor Assistants
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Antioxidants is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- protein resources
- protein extraction and characterization
- functional properties of proteins
- antioxidant activity
- protein application
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