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Alternative Protein: Sources, Bioactivities, Potential Health Benefits, and Application
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Alternative Protein: Sources, Bioactivities, Potential Health Benefits, and Application

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Foods".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2025) | Viewed by 2863

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Deepak Kadam

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
Interests: sustainable protein; bioactive peptide; food chemistry; human health
Dr. Filiz Koksel

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
Interests: food processing; food extrusion; food chemistry; alternative protein

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As the global population continues to rise and increasing concerns over the environmental and health impacts of traditional animal-based protein sources, the search for alternative proteins has gained significant attention. Proteins derived from plants, insects, algae, fungi, and cultured meat technologies offer promising, sustainable solutions for future food systems. Beyond their environmental benefits, many of these alternative proteins exhibit unique bioactive properties that could promote various health advantages.

The special issue "Alternative Protein: Sources, Bioactivities, Potential Health Benefits, and Application" invites submissions of original research, reviews, and perspectives on these innovative proteins. This issue will explore sustainable production methods, including plant-based, insect-derived, algae, fungi, and cell-cultured proteins. We encourage studies that delve into their extraction, and characterisation of bioactive properties—such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory activities—and their potential health impacts, including cardiovascular support, gut health, obesity management, and muscle protein synthesis. Additionally, research on the practical applications of alternative proteins in food products, as well as their sustainability and economic feasibility, is also welcome.

This special issue seeks to be a comprehensive resource for advancing scientific knowledge on alternative proteins, driving innovation in the food industry, and encouraging healthier, more sustainable diets. We invite contributions from food scientists, nutritionists, biochemists, and researchers in related fields.

Dr. Deepak Kadam
Dr. Filiz Koksel
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

  • alternative proteins
  • bioactive peptides
  • sustainable protein sources
  • health benefits
  • food applications
  • plant-based proteins
  • insect proteins
  • algae-derived proteins
  • cultivated meat
  • functional foods

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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12 pages, 8575 KiB  
Article
Chickpea-Based Milk Analogue Stabilized by Transglutaminase
by Barak Snir, Ayelet Fishman and Jovana Glusac
Foods 2025, 14(3), 514; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14030514 - 5 Feb 2025
Viewed by 1061
Abstract
Plant-based milk substitutes are becoming increasingly popular in the food industry. Among different plant proteins, chickpea proteins (CP) offer unique qualities as good functional and nutritional properties, followed by pleasant taste. This study examines the ability of the production of o/w [...] Read more.
Plant-based milk substitutes are becoming increasingly popular in the food industry. Among different plant proteins, chickpea proteins (CP) offer unique qualities as good functional and nutritional properties, followed by pleasant taste. This study examines the ability of the production of o/w emulsions resembling milk analogue (3% w/w chickpea protein, 3% w/w canola oil) by using chickpea protein isolate with/without the enzyme transglutaminase (TG) (50 U/g of protein). As a reference material, commercial soymilk was used. The emulsions were characterized by particle size distribution, zeta potential, viscosity, and microstructure. The TG-crosslinked chickpea protein milk analogue demonstrated improved stability, characterized by enhanced zeta potential (−24.7 mV) and extended shelf life compared to chickpea protein milk analogue without TG and soymilk. Stable particle size distribution (D[3,2] 0.11–0.17 µm) and shear-thinning behaviour (viscosity values of 2.16 mPas at 300 1/s) additionally contributed to their stability and desirable viscosity. Overall, chickpea protein milk analogue crosslinked by TG presents a promising alternative to traditional and plant-based milk products, offering clean-label, functional, and shelf-stable formulations. The additional optimization of protein concentration and processing conditions could enhance the overall functionality even further. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alternative Protein: Sources, Bioactivities, Potential Health Benefits, and Application)
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Review

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21 pages, 3539 KiB  
Review
Scientific Mapping of Chia Protein Research: State of the Art and Future Trends
by Júlia Scherer Santos, Arthur Coelho Durso, César Augusto Sodré da Silva and Rejane de Castro Santana
Foods 2024, 13(24), 4181; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13244181 - 23 Dec 2024
Viewed by 1188
Abstract
This report is a pioneering bibliometric analysis of chia proteins as well as a review of the current/future themes of chia proteins. Reports were selected from the Scopus database, and networks of co-word occurrence, co-cited references, and the bibliographic coupling of documents were [...] Read more.
This report is a pioneering bibliometric analysis of chia proteins as well as a review of the current/future themes of chia proteins. Reports were selected from the Scopus database, and networks of co-word occurrence, co-cited references, and the bibliographic coupling of documents were obtained. The health benefits and functional properties of chia proteins/peptides are current themes while the research of chia peptides is an emergent theme. The co-word network showed a low link between health benefits and functional properties, concluding that protein derivatives with both properties must be better explored. This review elucidated how the conditions of protein extraction and protein hydrolysis must be adjusted to maximize the intended functional characteristics and health benefits. An extremely alkaline pH and heating provided chia proteins with the lowest solubility, emulsifying properties, and antioxidant activity. Higher hydrolysis time increases peptides’ hydrolysis degree, which affects its biological activity. Moreover, chia peptides showed higher oil absorption and emulsifying properties than chia protein isolates. The highlighted findings of this report represent the current research status which may require a new updated review in the future. A more in-depth approach to chia protein derivatives’ extraction will enable their quick development in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alternative Protein: Sources, Bioactivities, Potential Health Benefits, and Application)
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