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Recent Trends in Designing Novel Foods: Nutritional Profiles and Consumer...
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Recent Trends in Designing Novel Foods: Nutritional Profiles and Consumer Perceptions

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Nutraceuticals, Functional Foods, and Novel Foods".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 September 2025 | Viewed by 8692

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Raquel P. F. Guiné

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Guest Editor
1. CERNAS Research Centre, Polytechnic University of Viseu, 3504-510 Viseu, Portugal
2. Department of Food Industry, Polytechnic University of Viseu, 3504-510 Viseu, Portugal
Interests: food chemistry; food engineering; food science; nutrition; development of new foods; consumer studies; transformation of animal foods for human consumption; edible insects; dairy products; meat products
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Ofélia Anjos

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
CERNAS-IPCB Research Centre, Polytechnic University of Castelo Branco, 6001-909 Castelo Branco, Portugal
Interests: vibrational spectroscopy; chemometrics; food science; new product development; sensory analysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Maria João Barroca

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Guest Editor
Agriculture School, Polytechnic University of Coimbra, Bencanta, 3045-601 Coimbra, Portugal
Interests: biological activity of plant extracts; valorization of dried plants; development of functional foods; healthy foods
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The food and beverage sector constitutes one of the most important sectors in the global economy. Considering the current competitive and fluctuating food markets, companies place a high emphasis on the successful development and introduction of new food products and services into the market. As such, the food market is in constant adaptation to consumer demands for novel, improved, different, and clean-label foods. Researchers and industry professionals are collaborating to design innovative foods that meet consumer expectations, focusing on product characteristics such as nutrition, health benefits, value, well-being, and personal satisfaction.

Consumer behavior is deeply linked with consumers’ needs on a primary basis, but also with personal beliefs and choices and how these are generated and interpreted. Acceptance of new and innovative food products depends not only on the product characteristics but also on the value attributed by consumers. So, when developing new foods, the role of the consumer is pivotal to the success and acceptance, and the role of marketing studies and sensory evaluations completes the physical and chemical descriptions of the product characteristics.

This Special Issue intends to gather studies on the development of new food products in all the domains that this complex process involves, from conceptualization up to commercialization and acceptance.

Prof. Dr. Raquel P. F. Guiné
Prof. Dr. Ofélia Anjos
Dr. Maria João Barroca
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 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. 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

  • food and beverage development
  • innovation
  • food properties
  • sensorial analysis
  • novel processing technologies
  • consumer acceptance
  • foods for health and well-being
  • fortified foods and beverages
  • alternative proteins
  • clean label trends

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

29 pages, 8699 KB  
Article
Lemon Dietary Fibre-Based Powder as a Promising Ingredient for the Food Industry: Enhancing Mortadella Nutritional Quality
by Daniela Magalhães, Cristina V. Rodrigues, Carmen Botella-Martinez, Nuria Muñoz-Tebar, José Angel Pérez-Álvarez, Manuel Viuda-Martos, Paula Teixeira and Manuela Pintado
Foods 2025, 14(10), 1693; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14101693 - 10 May 2025
Viewed by 1073
Abstract
Lemon co-products are valuable due to their high dietary fibre, making them significant for valorisation. This research aimed to characterise an innovative lemon dietary fibre (LDF) obtained through integrated extraction (of essential oil, phenolic compounds (PCs), and pectin) by evaluating its chemical, physicochemical, [...] Read more.
Lemon co-products are valuable due to their high dietary fibre, making them significant for valorisation. This research aimed to characterise an innovative lemon dietary fibre (LDF) obtained through integrated extraction (of essential oil, phenolic compounds (PCs), and pectin) by evaluating its chemical, physicochemical, structural, techno-functional, total phenolic content, and antioxidant and antibacterial properties. The effects of incorporating LDF (3% and 6%) into mortadella, a bologna-type sausage, on chemical, physicochemical, technological, and sensory properties were analysed. LDF exhibited a total dietary fibre content of 85.79%, mainly insoluble (52.55%). Hesperidin (89.97–894.44 mg/100 g DW) and eriocitrin (68.75–146.35 mg/100 g DW) were the major free PCs. The major bound PCs were vanillin (5.90–9.16 mg/100 g DW) and apigenin-7-O-glucoside (8.82 mg/100 g DW). This functional ingredient demonstrated antioxidant and antibacterial activity. LDF significantly influenced mortadella’s colour, texture, and mineral composition. Higher levels of LDF result in a paler colour and increased hardness and contribute to reducing sodium levels of the final product. It also decreased residual nitrite levels, although this reduction was followed by a slight increase in lipid oxidation, which remained below the rancidity threshold (≥1.0), ensuring acceptable product quality. Sensory evaluation revealed positive feedback, favouring the 3% LDF formulation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Trends in Designing Novel Foods: Nutritional Profiles and Consumer Perceptions)
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20 pages, 4648 KB  
Article
Implicit and Explicit Consumer Perceptions of Cashews: A Neuroscientific and Sensory Analysis Approach
by Rocio Lopez-Navarro, Luis Montero-Vicente, Carmen Escriba-Perez and Juan M. Buitrago-Vera
Foods 2025, 14(7), 1213; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14071213 - 30 Mar 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1017
Abstract
This study investigated consumer perceptions of raw cashew nuts from two different private labels (private label A, PLA, and private label B, PLB), employing a combination of explicit (sensory analysis) and implicit (consumer neuroscience) methods. The objective was to analyse both conscious and [...] Read more.
This study investigated consumer perceptions of raw cashew nuts from two different private labels (private label A, PLA, and private label B, PLB), employing a combination of explicit (sensory analysis) and implicit (consumer neuroscience) methods. The objective was to analyse both conscious and unconscious responses to understand consumer preferences. Participants (n = 80) evaluated the samples, with electroencephalography (EEG) and electrodermal activity (EDA) as implicit methods, and hedonic scales, JAR scales, and the EsSense25 questionnaire used for explicit evaluations. The results revealed a clear preference for PLB, supported by higher global hedonic scores and a significant majority (65%) choosing PLB over PLA. EEG metrics calculated for participants’ valence, frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA) for flavour indicated greater activity in the left frontal lobe for PLB, associated with positive emotions. Task engagement (TE) measurements revealed higher engagement with PLB during flavour evaluation. Penalty analysis identified that PLA was mainly penalised for a “too weak” aroma and flavour. The EsSense25 analysis showed that cashew consumption evoked predominantly positive emotions such as “pleasant”, “satisfied”, and “calm”. In conclusion, the combination of implicit and explicit methods provided a comprehensive understanding of consumer preferences, highlighting the value of both approaches and the importance of sensory attributes in driving the overall liking of raw cashews. The findings have implications for product optimisation, market segmentation, and the development of marketing strategies in the cashew industry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Trends in Designing Novel Foods: Nutritional Profiles and Consumer Perceptions)
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15 pages, 1317 KB  
Article
The Effect of Incorporating Fermented Elderberries (Sambucus nigra) into Bread: Quality, Shelf Life, and Biological Enhancement
by Natália L. Seixas, Vanessa B. Paula, Teresa Dias, Luís G. Dias and Letícia M. Estevinho
Foods 2025, 14(5), 724; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14050724 - 20 Feb 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 736
Abstract
Elderberries, known for their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral properties, have traditionally been used to prevent and treat infections and boost the immune system. By increasing the quantity and quality of certain compounds, fermentation can potentially make them more effective as food additives. The [...] Read more.
Elderberries, known for their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral properties, have traditionally been used to prevent and treat infections and boost the immune system. By increasing the quantity and quality of certain compounds, fermentation can potentially make them more effective as food additives. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of incorporating fermented elderberries on the bioactivity and shelf life of a traditional bread. The elderberry fermentation process was optimised using Saccharomyces cerevisiae, guided by a Plackett–Burman experimental design. The aim was to assess the impact of incorporating fermented elderberries into bread on its bioactive properties and shelf life. The fermentation of the elderberries was found to enhance their bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity. The total phenolic content ranged from 8.63 to 20.56 mg GAE/g (in samples without and with 2% extract, respectively). The antioxidant capacity, measured using the FRAP method, also showed a significant increase with the addition of the extract (from 9.16 to 26.66 mg Fe (II) E/g of the sample). Furthermore, bread enriched with fermented elderberry extracts demonstrated an extended shelf life during the study period. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Trends in Designing Novel Foods: Nutritional Profiles and Consumer Perceptions)
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21 pages, 3145 KB  
Article
From a Coriander Mayonnaise to a Vegan Analogue: Assessing pH and Salt Influence in a Saccharomyces cerevisiae Yeast Protein Extract and Chlorella vulgaris Mixed System
by Pedro Coelho, Carmo Serrano, Norton Komora and Anabela Raymundo
Foods 2025, 14(4), 587; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14040587 - 10 Feb 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1653
Abstract
History aside, traditional mayonnaise faces a rising animal welfare concern dietary approach and remains dependent on cold environments throughout the supply chain due to food safety. Nowadays, consumers are able to find alternative formulas from vegetable sources with relevant emulsifying capacity. However, sensory [...] Read more.
History aside, traditional mayonnaise faces a rising animal welfare concern dietary approach and remains dependent on cold environments throughout the supply chain due to food safety. Nowadays, consumers are able to find alternative formulas from vegetable sources with relevant emulsifying capacity. However, sensory characteristics may differ from the traditional expected product. A mixed system composed of the innovative ingredient heterotrophic white Chlorella vulgaris and a disruptive emulsifier, yeast protein extract (YPE), was assessed to transform traditional coriander mayonnaise into an analog product. The effect of pH and salt (NaCl) content was also evaluated. The mixed system depicts a promising stability since the average Sauter diameter of both is similar (7.94 μm and 7.49 μm), also observed in the unimodal droplet size distribution. Viscoelastic behavior has slightly different responses for the plateau model (278.951 Pa and 252.053 Pa), while increasing the salt content reflects an approximation regarding firmness (0.059 N and 0.057 N) and adhesiveness (0.372 N.s and 0.361 N.s). Introduction of microalgae increases bioactivity, mainly TPC (+118.84 ugGAeq/g) and antioxidant activity—RSA (+31.29 ugTEAC/g) and FRAP (+35.26 ugTEAC/g). Despite the color deviation, the sensorial analysis of both products enlightened the absence of major perception. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Trends in Designing Novel Foods: Nutritional Profiles and Consumer Perceptions)
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16 pages, 2361 KB  
Article
Salty Biscuits Enriched with Fresh and Dried Bee Pollen: Chemical, Technological, and Sensory Characterization
by Alessandro Bianchi, Sonia Capparelli, Isabella Taglieri, Chiara Sanmartin, Laura Pistelli and Francesca Venturi
Foods 2025, 14(3), 527; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14030527 - 6 Feb 2025
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1457
Abstract
Bee pollen is a potential functional food ingredient as it contains essential nutrients and a wide range of bioactive compounds. Among bakery products, sweet or salty biscuits are very popular, because they can be consumed quickly, have a long shelf life, and have [...] Read more.
Bee pollen is a potential functional food ingredient as it contains essential nutrients and a wide range of bioactive compounds. Among bakery products, sweet or salty biscuits are very popular, because they can be consumed quickly, have a long shelf life, and have a favorable taste and texture. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the enrichment of salty biscuits with bee pollen (fresh and dried) through their chemical-technological and sensory characteristics. The biscuit formulations were created by replacing the flour with an increasing amount (5% and 10%) of fresh (FP) and dried (DP) pollen. A formulation without pollen was used as the control (CB). To evaluate its potential as a fortification ingredient, pollen as well as salty biscuits were analyzed in terms of their chemical composition and sensory characteristics. In particular, biscuits with 5% fresh pollen (FPB5%) proved to be the formulation with the optimal combination of chemical-compositional and sensory characteristics. Given the increase in their antioxidant component, fortified biscuits can represent an interesting vehicle for phenolic compounds and carotenoids, with a characteristic sensory profile. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Trends in Designing Novel Foods: Nutritional Profiles and Consumer Perceptions)
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13 pages, 1288 KB  
Article
Sustainable Protein Sources: Functional Analysis of Tenebrio molitor Hydrolysates and Attitudes of Consumers in Poland and Spain Toward Insect-Based Foods
by Marcelina Maciejewska, Anna Dąbrowska and Marina Cano-Lamadrid
Foods 2025, 14(2), 333; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14020333 - 20 Jan 2025
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1963
Abstract
This study explores the potential of Tenebrio molitor protein hydrolysates as functional food ingredients, evaluating their bioactivity and consumer acceptance of the incorporation of edible insects into food across Poland and Spain. By aligning technical advancements with consumer preferences, this research bridges the [...] Read more.
This study explores the potential of Tenebrio molitor protein hydrolysates as functional food ingredients, evaluating their bioactivity and consumer acceptance of the incorporation of edible insects into food across Poland and Spain. By aligning technical advancements with consumer preferences, this research bridges the gap between laboratory innovation and market feasibility, contributing to the development of sustainable functional foods. The study optimized the process of enzyme hydrolysis using serine protease from Cucurbita ficifolia, thereby enhancing DPPH scavenging capacity increased from 3.15 ± 0.53 to 8.17 ± 0.62 µM Trolox/mL and ABTS decolorization capacity increased from 4.29 ± 0.01 to 10.29 ± 0.01 µM Trolox/mL after 5 h of hydrolysis. Consumer surveys incorporating the Food Neophobia, Insect Phobia, and Entomophagy Scales revealed demographic and cultural influences on entomophagy acceptance. Among respondents, 27.1% in Poland and 25.7% in Spain had previously consumed insect-based products, while Polish participants showed a higher willingness to adopt insect-enriched foods. The study confirmed that hydrolysis enhances the antioxidant activity of T. molitor protein hydrolysates and that demographic and cultural factors significantly influence consumer acceptance of insect-based foods. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Trends in Designing Novel Foods: Nutritional Profiles and Consumer Perceptions)
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