New Insights into Formulation and Process of Fermented Dairy Products

Dear Colleagues,

Fermented dairy products are an important component of food systems worldwide, combining nutritional value, sensory diversity and the functional potential of microorganisms and bioactive compounds.

Products such as yoghurt, kefir, fermented milk beverages, cream, cheese and emerging fermented dairy products continue to evolve in response to consumer demand for healthier, minimally processed, sustainable and functionally enriched foods. At the same time, advances in food biotechnology, fermentation science, processing technologies and analytical approaches are creating new opportunities to improve product quality, functionality, stability and nutritional value.

Current research increasingly focuses on understanding the complex interactions among milk composition, microorganisms, processing conditions, fermentation parameters, packaging and product structure. The development of novel formulations using alternative ingredients, probiotics, prebiotics, plant-derived components, dietary fibres, proteins and bioactive compounds is also expanding the possibilities for fermented dairy products. In parallel, advanced analytical and processing technologies—including omics approaches, in vitro digestion models, rheology, microscopy, metabolomics and innovative fermentation and preservation technologies—provide new insights into product development, functionality and consumer-relevant properties. Sustainable processing, the valorisation of dairy by-products, food waste reduction and efficient resource use further strengthen this research area’s relevance.

Aim and Scope

This Special Issue aims to present and disseminate recent advances in the formulation, fermentation, processing, characterisation, functionality and quality of fermented dairy products. Original research articles, reviews and other relevant contributions that offer new scientific knowledge and practical perspectives on developing and optimising fermented dairy foods.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

Novel formulations and innovative fermented dairy products

Optimisation of fermentation processes and processing conditions

Starter cultures, probiotics, postbiotics and microbial interactions

Physicochemical, nutritional, structural, rheological and sensory properties

Bioactive compounds, functional ingredients and health-related functionality

Protein, carbohydrate, lipid and bioactive compound transformations during fermentation

In vitro digestion, bioaccessibility and bioavailability of fermented dairy products

Application of metabolomics, advanced chromatography, spectroscopy and other analytical technologies

Sustainable processing, circular economy approaches and valorisation of dairy by-products Reduction in sugar, fat, salt or other formulation components while maintaining product quality Clean-label and minimally processed fermented dairy products

Novel fermentation technologies and emerging processing approaches

Shelf life, stability, safety and quality preservation

Interactions between formulation, processing, microstructure and sensory properties

Fermented dairy products for specific nutritional and consumer needs

We encourage submissions of interdisciplinary studies integrating food microbiology, food chemistry, biotechnology, processing technology, nutrition and advanced analytical approaches to provide new insights into the development of next-generation fermented dairy products.

Looking forward to receiving your valuable contributions to this Special Issue.

Dr. Kristīne Majore
Dr. Jelena Zagorska
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-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Dairy 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 1400 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.