Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
5.5
2.5
Journals
Applied Sciences
Special Issues
Advances in Food Processing Technologies: Enhancing Quality, Safety, and Sustainability
applsci-logo
Submit to Special Issue Submit Abstract to Special Issue Review for Applied Sciences Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

► Journal Menu

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser
share announcement

Advances in Food Processing Technologies: Enhancing Quality, Safety, and Sustainability

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Science and Technology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 October 2026 | Viewed by 9870

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Pascal Degraeve

grade E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Bioingénierie et Dynamique Microbienne aux Interfaces Alimentaires Research Unit, IUT Lyon 1, Technopole Alimentec, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, ISARA Lyon, 155 rue Henri de Boissieu, 01000 Bourg en Bresse, France
Interests: food preservation; antimicrobial biomolecules; active edible coating and packaging; dairy products; proteins; bioactive peptides
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Mariya Dushkova

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Process Engineering, University of Food Technologies, 4002 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Interests: ultrafiltration application; food; biotechnology; membrane processes; food science; food technology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Food processing technologies play a vital role in ensuring the safety, quality, and sustainability of the global food supply. This Special Issue focuses on the recent advancements in these technologies and their impacts on food safety, product quality, and sustainability. The adoption of advancements in food processing technologies can improve consumer confidence, reduce waste, and create a sustainable food supply chain.

Therefore, this Special Issue will search original scientific developments in the following areas:

  • Advanced food technologies;
  • Preservation techniques;
  • Advanced thermal methods;
  • Non-thermal technologies;
  • Innovative packaging systems;
  • Controlled fermentation;
  • Food safety, quality, and sustainability.

These topics are indicative, and research is not strictly limited to them.

We invite you to contribute to this Special Issue. Review articles, short communications, and full-size research papers are all welcome.

You may choose our Joint Special Issue in Foods.

Prof. Dr. Pascal Degraeve
Dr. Mariya Dushkova
Guest Editors

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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2400 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

  • advanced food technologies
  • food processing
  • food quality
  • food safety
  • food sustainability

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (5 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

17 pages, 2095 KB  
Article
Optimization of Phenolic Compound Extraction from Freeze-Dried Brassica oleracea Cultivars Using Response Surface Methodology
by Olga Statilko, Thalia Tsiaka, Andriana E. Lazou, Vassilia J. Sinanoglou and Irini F. Strati
Appl. Sci. 2026, 16(9), 4389; https://doi.org/10.3390/app16094389 - 30 Apr 2026
Abstract
Optimizing the recovery of bioactive compounds is critical for the accurate assessment of the quality of freeze-dried vegetables. In this context, Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was performed to optimize the ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) of phenolic compounds from freeze-dried broccoli (cv ‘Thassos’) and cauliflower [...] Read more.
Optimizing the recovery of bioactive compounds is critical for the accurate assessment of the quality of freeze-dried vegetables. In this context, Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was performed to optimize the ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) of phenolic compounds from freeze-dried broccoli (cv ‘Thassos’) and cauliflower (cv ‘Cercy’) florets. The influence of three process parameters, namely solvent-to-material ratio (20 to 60 mL/g), extraction time (10 to 40 min) and solvent mixture (methanol: water) composition (60 to 100% methanol) was evaluated. Multi-response optimization identified the optimal process conditions for both cultivars (composite desirability = 0.996) as a 60 mL/g ratio, 10 min extraction time and 76% methanol content. The application of the optimized extraction conditions to broccoli ‘Naxos’ and cauliflower ‘Guideline’ cultivars, confirmed the model applicability and revealed significant genotypic heterogeneity (p < 0.05). Pearson’s Correlation Analysis revealed a very high positive (r > 0.9) correlation between TPC and ABTS for both broccoli and cauliflower, high (r = 0.78) correlation between TPC and FRAP for broccoli and moderate (r = 0.63) for cauliflower. These findings confirm that process parameter optimization is crucial for the maximum recovery of phenolic compounds from freeze-dried broccoli and cauliflower, and UAE conditions should be carefully selected to ensure accurate cultivar evaluation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Food Processing Technologies: Enhancing Quality, Safety, and Sustainability)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 719 KB  
Article
Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis), Chlorella (Chlorella vulgaris) and House Cricket (Acheta domesticus) as Non-Conventional Sources of Protein for Fortification of Sponge Cake
by Izabela Podgórska-Kryszczuk, Ewelina Zielińska and Dawid Ramotowski
Appl. Sci. 2026, 16(7), 3220; https://doi.org/10.3390/app16073220 - 26 Mar 2026
Viewed by 342
Abstract
Enriching bakery products with highly nutritious ingredients, such as microalgae and insect powder, is a promising strategy for developing functional foods. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of spirulina, chlorella, and cricket powder on the quality of sponge cakes. The assessed parameters [...] Read more.
Enriching bakery products with highly nutritious ingredients, such as microalgae and insect powder, is a promising strategy for developing functional foods. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of spirulina, chlorella, and cricket powder on the quality of sponge cakes. The assessed parameters included color, nutritional value, mineral composition, antioxidant activity, predicted glycemic index (pGI), and sensory properties. The addition of microalgae significantly reduced the L* value and altered the color shade of the sponge cakes, while the insect powder caused milder color changes. The enriched samples contained higher levels of protein (by up to 14%) and minerals, including calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc. Antioxidant activity was enhanced across all variations, particularly in sponge cakes with insect powder, which showed the highest TPC (47.96 mg GAE), DPPH· (0.107 mM TE), and ABTS·+ (0.208 mM TE) levels. Cakes containing spirulina exhibited the highest total flavonoid content (63.95 mg EPI). Additionally, the enriched samples demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in the pGI. Among all the supplemented samples, the sponge cake with cricket powder received the highest consumer acceptance. Overall, enriching sponge cakes with microalgae and cricket powder improved their nutritional value and antioxidant properties, with insect powder offering the best balance between sensory quality and functionality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Food Processing Technologies: Enhancing Quality, Safety, and Sustainability)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 620 KB  
Article
Investigation of Physicochemical, Functional, and Nutritional Properties of Ice Cream Fortified with Melon and Watermelon Kernel Oils
by Mehmet Kilinç and Gökhan Akarca
Appl. Sci. 2026, 16(6), 2666; https://doi.org/10.3390/app16062666 - 11 Mar 2026
Viewed by 295
Abstract
This study aims to determine the effects of incorporating melon and watermelon kernel oils into ice cream formulations on the textural profile, mineral richness, and antioxidant activity of the product, and to investigate how oil addition optimizes critical quality parameters such as melting [...] Read more.
This study aims to determine the effects of incorporating melon and watermelon kernel oils into ice cream formulations on the textural profile, mineral richness, and antioxidant activity of the product, and to investigate how oil addition optimizes critical quality parameters such as melting characteristics and viscosity of ice cream. The parameters analyzed include dry matter percentage, first drop, meltdown, overrun, antioxidant content, color and textural characteristics, total phenolic content, and mineral matter content. Among the samples, the highest first drop, meltdown, and overrun values were determined to be 31.67 s, 122.08 s, and 33.34%, respectively, in ice cream samples produced with 0.3% melon kernel oil addition, and the highest DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, and TPC in samples produced with a 0.3% addition of watermelon kernel oil, with values of 81.88%, 9.90 µmol TE/g, 2.06 µmol TE/g, and 128.72 mg GAE/100 g, respectively. Likewise, the lowest firmness, highest consistency, cohesiveness, and viscosity index values (15.53 g, 456.34 g.s, −21.50 g.s, and −8.16) were also found in the same ice cream samples. P, Mg, Ca, Na, K, Fe, and Zn contents increased with increasing addition of seed oil, and P showed the highest increase among the samples, followed by Na, K, and Ca, respectively. The samples demonstrating the most significant increase in mineral content were those produced with 0.3% melon kernel oil. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Food Processing Technologies: Enhancing Quality, Safety, and Sustainability)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Review

Jump to: Research

23 pages, 1782 KB  
Review
From Olive Oil to Pomace: Sustainable Valorization Pathways Linking Food Processing and Human Health
by Lucia Bubulac, Claudia Florina Bogdan-Andreescu, Daniela Victorița Voica, Bogdan Mihai Cristea, Maria Simona Chiș and Dan Alexandru Slăvescu
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(19), 10717; https://doi.org/10.3390/app151910717 - 4 Oct 2025
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3330
Abstract
The olive tree (Olea europaea L.) has been cultivated for millennia, with olive oil representing both a cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet and a major agricultural commodity. Its composition, rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, polyphenols, tocopherols and squalene, supports well-documented cardioprotective, antioxidant [...] Read more.
The olive tree (Olea europaea L.) has been cultivated for millennia, with olive oil representing both a cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet and a major agricultural commodity. Its composition, rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, polyphenols, tocopherols and squalene, supports well-documented cardioprotective, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. Olive oil production generates substantial secondary streams, including pomace, leaves, pits and mill wastewater, which are rich in phenols, triterpenes and fibers. This review consolidates recent advances in their phytochemical characterization, innovative extraction technologies and health-promoting effects, while highlighting the economic and regulatory prospects for industrial adoption. Comparative analysis shows that olive leaves can produce up to 16,674.0–50,594.3 mg/kg total phenolics; oleuropein 4570.0–27,547.7 mg/kg, pomace retains 2.24 g GAE/100 g dried matrix (DM)total phenolics; oil 13.66% DM; protein 6.64% DM, and wastewater contains high concentration of phenolics content of olives. Innovative extraction techniques, such as ultrasound and microwave-assisted methods, allow for a recovery, while reducing solvent use and energy input. The analysis highlights opportunities for integrating these by-products into circular bioeconomy models, supporting the development of functional foods, nutraceutical applications and sustainable waste management. Future research should address techno-economic feasibility, regulatory harmonization and large-scale clinical validation to accelerate market translation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Food Processing Technologies: Enhancing Quality, Safety, and Sustainability)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

34 pages, 1036 KB  
Review
Conventional and Innovative Methods for Reducing the Incidence of Listeria monocytogenes in Milk and Dairy Products
by Adriana Dabija, Cristina Ștefania Afloarei, Dadiana Dabija and Ancuța Chetrariu
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(12), 6580; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15126580 - 11 Jun 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 5225
Abstract
Listeriosis, the disease caused by the bacterium L. monocytogenes, can take invasive forms, with severe complications such as septicemia or meningitis, mainly affecting vulnerable people, such as pregnant women, the elderly, and immunocompromised people. The main transmission is through the consumption of [...] Read more.
Listeriosis, the disease caused by the bacterium L. monocytogenes, can take invasive forms, with severe complications such as septicemia or meningitis, mainly affecting vulnerable people, such as pregnant women, the elderly, and immunocompromised people. The main transmission is through the consumption of contaminated food, and unpasteurized dairy products are common sources of infection. Due to the high mortality and the difficulty in eliminating the bacterium from the production environment, rigorous hygiene and control measures are essential to prevent the spread of Listeria in the food chain, and research on biofilm formation and bacterial resistance is vital to improve food safety. Dairy products, raw milk, and soft cheeses are among the most vulnerable to contamination with L. monocytogenes, especially due to pH values and low-temperature storage conditions. This paper presents a synthesis of the specialized literature on methods to reduce the incidence of L. monocytogenes in milk and dairy products. Conventional strategies, such as pasteurization and the use of chemical disinfectants, are effective but can affect food quality. Specialists have turned their attention to innovative and safer approaches, such as biocontrol and the use of nonthermal methods, such as pulsed electric fields, irradiation, and nanotechnology. Barrier technology, which combines several methods, has demonstrated superior efficiency in combating the bacterium without compromising product quality. Additionally, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and bacteriocins are examples of biopreservation techniques that provide a future option while preserving food safety. Natural preservatives, especially those derived from plants and fruits, are promising alternatives to synthetic compounds. Future solutions should focus on developing commercial formulations that optimize these properties and meet consumer demands for healthy, environmentally friendly, and clean-label products. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Food Processing Technologies: Enhancing Quality, Safety, and Sustainability)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-5
Back to TopTop