Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
7.4
4.7
Journals
Foods
Special Issues
The Effect of Processing Methods on the Quality and Health-Related...
share announcement

The Effect of Processing Methods on the Quality and Health-Related Ingredients of Plant-Based Foods

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2025 | Viewed by 1060

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Chengying Zhao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
Interests: phytochemicals; processing; health-promoting effects; structure-activity relationship; gut microbiota
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Jiefen Cui

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Food Science and Engineering, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China
Interests: phytochemicals; structure; properties; function; gut microbiota

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Global plants are one of the most abundant resources rich in various nutrients and functional components, including proteins, dietary fibers, amino acids, vitamins, polyphenols, flavonoids, etc. They have attracted special attention due to their extensive health-promoting effects, including their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hypolipidemic, and hypoglycemic effects, probiotic function, and cardiovascular protection. Generally, food needs to go through a series of processing steps before arriving at the dining table, during which the chemical structures of the ingredients may be changed. Processing may further induce changes in their health-promoting effects. Therefore, the exploration of the effects of processing on the structure and health-promoting effects of the ingredients in plant-based foods is of great significance. There are several aspects needing to be addressed urgently: (1) the relationship between processing, structure, and health-promoting effects; (2) the molecular mechanisms underlying the influence of processing on the ingredients, including interactions between components; (3) the health-promoting effects of the ingredients before and after processing; (4) novel processing methods targeting regulated changes in the ingredients during processing, with the aim of optimizing the health-promoting effects. In this Special Issue, we welcome original articles, mini reviews, full reviews, commentaries, and perspectives.

Dr. Chengying Zhao
Prof. Dr. Jiefen Cui
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

  • plant foods
  • processing
  • components
  • interactions between components
  • chemical structure changes
  • health-promoting effects
  • molecular mechanisms

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.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

17 pages, 5105 KiB  
Article
Influence of Drying Methods on the Post-Harvest Quality of Coffee: Effects on Physicochemical, Sensory, and Microbiological Composition
by Danilo José Machado de Abreu, Mário Sérgio Lorenço, Gilson Gustavo Lucinda Machado, Joana Moratto Silva, Estela Corrêa de Azevedo and Elisângela Elena Nunes Carvalho
Foods 2025, 14(9), 1463; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14091463 - 23 Apr 2025
Viewed by 159
Abstract
This study evaluated the impact of different drying methods on the physicochemical, microbiological, and sensory qualities of coffees produced in the Campos das Vertentes (CV) and Alta Mogiana (AM) regions of Brazil. The sun-drying (S), sun-drying combined with rotary mechanical dryer (SM), and [...] Read more.
This study evaluated the impact of different drying methods on the physicochemical, microbiological, and sensory qualities of coffees produced in the Campos das Vertentes (CV) and Alta Mogiana (AM) regions of Brazil. The sun-drying (S), sun-drying combined with rotary mechanical dryer (SM), and CoffeeDryer® mechanical dryer (C) methods were compared at different harvest times for the same crop (2024). The results indicated that CoffeeDryer® preserved relatively high levels of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity, reaching 3.24 g of gallic acid equivalents per 100 g (g EAG·100 g−1) and 47.96% antioxidant protection in the coffees produced in Alta Mogiana, whereas the sun-dried coffees presented relatively low values (2.20 g EAG·100 g−1 and 28.96% protection). In the Campos das Vertentes region, C maintained 2.78 g EAG·100 g−1 phenolic compounds and 50.29% antioxidant protection, outperforming combined drying (2.48 g EAG·100 g−1 and 41.17%). Regardless of the region and time of harvest, the coffees dried by C had a water activity of less than 0.6 and more stable moisture content (7.73–10.42%), reducing the possibility of proliferation of filamentous fungi and, consequently, mycotoxins. In the sensory evaluation, CoffeeDryer® guaranteed higher scores for fragrance/aroma and flavor, allowing the coffees to reach 80 to 81 points on the SCA scale, which is classified as special. Thus, the use of CoffeeDryer® proved to be an efficient alternative for optimizing coffee drying, preserving its chemical and microbiological qualities, and enhancing its commercial and sensory value. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Effect of Processing Methods on the Quality and Health-Related Ingredients of Plant-Based Foods)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

20 pages, 1834 KiB  
Article
The Impact of Cooking on Antioxidant and Enzyme Activities in Ruichang Yam Polyphenols
by Haoping Liu, Hua Zhang, Mengting Geng, Dingxin Shi, Dongsheng Liu, Yanxiao Jiao, Zhiqiang Lei and You Peng
Foods 2025, 14(1), 14; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14010014 - 25 Dec 2024
Viewed by 714
Abstract
In this study, the total polyphenol content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and biological activity of yam polyphenols (including free phenolics, conjugated phenolics, and bound phenolics) were investigated during home cooking. Polyphenol components were preliminary detected in raw yam by HPLC, including 2, [...] Read more.
In this study, the total polyphenol content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and biological activity of yam polyphenols (including free phenolics, conjugated phenolics, and bound phenolics) were investigated during home cooking. Polyphenol components were preliminary detected in raw yam by HPLC, including 2, 4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, syringic acid, vanillic acid, 4-coumaric acid, and sinapic acid. TPC and TFC of soluble conjugated polyphenols were the main phenolic compounds in Ruichang yam. Compared with uncooked yam, cooking times of 80 min and 40 min increased the TPC and TFC of multiple types of polyphenols, while cooking reduced the TPC and TFC of AHP (acid-hydrolyzed soluble conjugated polyphenols). All yam polyphenols exhibited good α-Glucosidase inhibitory activity; α-Glucosidase inhibitory activity was significantly higher for a cooking time of 120 min. Only some types of polyphenols had lower pancreatic lipase half-inhibition concentrations than orlistat when cooked. The pancreatic lipase of FPs (free polyphenols), BHPs (alkali-hydrolyzed soluble conjugated polyphenols), and ABPs (acid-hydrolyzed insoluble bound polyphenols) was the stronges when cooking for 80 min, and the pancreatic lipase inhibitory activity of AHPs and BBPs (alkali-hydrolyzed insoluble bound polyphenols) was strongest when cooking for 40 min. Pearson’s correlation coefficient analysis revealed that the TPC was positively correlated with the TFC, the IC50 value of α-Glucosidase was negatively correlated with the IC50 value of pancreatic lipase, and redox activity was positively correlated with the TPC and TFC, respectively. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Effect of Processing Methods on the Quality and Health-Related Ingredients of Plant-Based Foods)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-2
Back to TopTop