Innovations in Food Technology for Functional Foods: Exploring Sources, Processing Techniques and Health Benefits
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: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 12
Special Issue Editors
Interests: bioactive compounds; functional foods; cancer; food development; carotenoids; phenolic compounds
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: organogel; lipid oxidation; frying process; fat replacers; in vitro digestion
Interests: bioactive compounds; nutritional quality of foods; food-to-food fortification; food analysis by HPLC; adding value to agricultural products
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
In recent years, scientific and technological advances in food processing have significantly contributed to the growing interest in the health-promoting potential of functional foods. These products, formulated not only to meet nutritional needs but also to deliver physiological benefits, are increasingly recognized for their role in preventing and managing chronic diseases. A wide variety of bioactive compounds—such as polyphenols, peptides, carotenoids, terpenes, and alkaloids—can be incorporated into food matrices using innovative technologies that enhance their stability, bioavailability, and efficacy.
The development of functional foods is closely linked to innovations in food technology, including novel extraction methods, advanced encapsulation systems, and sustainable processing techniques. These technologies facilitate the recovery and application of bioactive ingredients from diverse natural sources, such as plants, marine organisms, and agro-industrial by-products. Moreover, improvements in analytical tools and bioactivity assays have enabled a deeper understanding of the mechanisms by which these compounds exert antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and other health-related effects.
This Special Issue aims to bring together cutting-edge research and reviews focused on the intersection of food technology and functional ingredients. Contributions are welcome that address the sourcing, processing, characterization, and incorporation of bioactive compounds into functional food products. We especially encourage studies that explore innovative technological approaches to improve the delivery and effectiveness of these compounds, as well as their role in promoting human health.
Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:
- Food technology innovations for functional food development;
- Sources and extraction of bioactive food components;
- Green and sustainable processing methods;
- Encapsulation and delivery systems for bioactive ingredients;
- Mechanisms of action of functional compounds;
- Plant-derived phytochemicals and health benefits;
- Antioxidant and antimicrobial properties;
- Bioavailability and bioaccessibility enhancement;
- Assessment of food bioactivity and functionality;
- Application of bioactives in disease prevention.
Dr. Anderson Junger Teodoro
Dr. Vanessa Naciuk Castelo-Branco
Prof. Dr. Renata Galhardo Borguini
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
- functional foods
- food technology
- bioactive compounds
- encapsulation
- extraction techniques
- health benefits
- phytochemicals
- antioxidant activity
- bioavailability
- sustainable processing
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.
