Processing, Comprehensive Utilization and In-Depth Development of Climate-Resilient Subtropical Crops
A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Foods".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 December 2026 | Viewed by 13
Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Subtropical crops, such as fruits, vegetables, and other crops grown in subtropical regions, serve as a cornerstone of the human diet, providing essential micronutrients, dietary fiber, and bioactive compounds. However, subtropical regions (Southeast Asia, parts of South America, Africa, and the Southern US) are hubs for high-value crops that are often under-processed or lost due to poor post-harvest handling. Their processing and utilization efficiency are directly linked to global food security and sustainable development. With the rapid evolution of foodomics, green extraction, and smart manufacturing, traditional fruits, vegetables and other crops grown in subtropical regions are undergoing a transformative leap toward high-value addition, whole-component utilization, and precision nutrition.
We cordially invite original research articles and high-quality reviews covering, but not limited to, the following sub-themes:
- Advanced processing technologies: application of non-thermal processing (HPP, PEF, ultrasound), modern dehydration techniques, green preservation, and novel packaging materials.
- Deep development of bioactive compounds: precise extraction, stabilization, and bioavailability assessment of polyphenols, polysaccharides, and pigments, and their applications in functional foods.
- Whole-utilization and by-product upcycling: high-value utilization of fruit and vegetable pomace, peels, and seeds based on circular economy principles (e.g., dietary fiber modification, bioconversion).
- Omics technologies and quality control: utilizing transcriptomics, proteomics, or metabolomics to decode the mechanisms underlying flavor, color, and nutritional changes during processing.
- Smart and personalized processing: AI-driven quality inspection and 3D food printing applications in fruit and vegetable product development.
- Climate-adaptive processing and resilience: (NEW) strategies for adapting processing workflows to climate-resilient crops, including handling physiological changes induced by environmental stress and ensuring stable quality in subtropical production hubs.
This Special Issue, titled "Processing, Comprehensive Utilization and In-Depth Development of Climate-Resilient Subtropical Crops," aims to consolidate the latest research breakthroughs, exploring innovative technologies to enhance added value and address critical issues such as resource waste and quality loss during processing.
We look forward to receiving your contributions.
Dr. Ganlin Chen
Guest Editor
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. Foods 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 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
- fermentation
- whole-component utilization
- post-harvest loss reduction
- climate-resilient processing
- circular economy
- sugarcane (sugarcane vinegar/wine)
- specialty fruits (hawthorn, etc.)
- coffee and tea
- climate-resilient subtropical crops
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