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Innovation In and Optimization of Strategies for the Ethical Food...
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Innovation In and Optimization of Strategies for the Ethical Food Industry: Production, Packaging, and By-Product Valorization

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Security and Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 5316

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Corrado Rizzi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
Interests: food sciences (including food technology and nutrition)
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Federico Bianchi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor Assistant
Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, Strada Le Grazie 15, 37134 Verona, Italy
Interests: bakery products; pasta; bioactive compounds; plant by-products; bioaccessibility; in-vitro digestion; glycaemic index; functional ingredient; food technological properties

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Global food production must increase up to 70% by 2050 to meet the demands of the growing world population (FAO. Global agriculture towards 2050, Rome) yet, currently, over one-third of food produced globally is lost or wasted (FAO. Global Food Losses and Food Waste: Extent, Causes and Prevention, Rome). Food loss determines the decrease in edible food mass along the food chain, including the production, post-harvest, and processing levels. Reducing food wastage represents a neglected opportunity, particularly in developing countries, to improve food security and availability. Tackling the issue of food loss and waste can generate a triple win: (1) reductions can save money for farmers and companies, improving the workers’ profit and household economy; (2) wasting less food means feeding more people, and, finally, (3) waste reductions can alleviate pressure on the climate, as well as on water and land use, contributing to resilience to climate change.

In this Special Issue, we invite submissions of original research, review articles, and opinions on new strategies fostering an ethical food industry through the development of optimized production processes, innovative packaging solutions, extension of shelf life, and the valorisation of food by-products.

Dr. Corrado Rizzi
Guest Editor

Dr. Federico Bianchi
Guest Editor Assistant

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

  • reduction of food wastage
  • reduction of food loss along the food chain, including the production, post-harvest, and processing levels
  • development of optimized food production processes
  • innovative packaging solutions
  • new strategies for extending food shelf life
  • valorisation of food by-products

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 8301 KiB  
Article
Composites of Pea Protein Nanofibril and Epigallocatechin Gallate: Formation Mechanism, Structural Characterization, and Antioxidant Activity
by Hailing Zhang, Yangxuan Yang, Yuting Fan and Jiang Yi
Foods 2025, 14(14), 2418; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14142418 - 9 Jul 2025
Viewed by 206
Abstract
The EGCG/PPN composite, prepared by combining pea protein nanofibrils (PPNs) with epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), could be used as a multifunctional nanocarrier. Compared to pea protein isolate (PPI), EGCG/PPN composites exhibited remarkably higher turbidity and zeta potential, along with similar UV spectra. Intrinsic fluorescence [...] Read more.
The EGCG/PPN composite, prepared by combining pea protein nanofibrils (PPNs) with epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), could be used as a multifunctional nanocarrier. Compared to pea protein isolate (PPI), EGCG/PPN composites exhibited remarkably higher turbidity and zeta potential, along with similar UV spectra. Intrinsic fluorescence spectroscopy, ThT fluorescence spectroscopy, and surface hydrophobicity analysis suggested that the interactions between EGCG and PPN were primarily driven by hydrophobic forces. UV spectra indicated that the microenvironment of amino acid residues in the tertiary structure of the protein changes upon complexation, and circular dichroism (CD) revealed that the incorporation of EGCG increases the β-sheet content in the protein’s secondary structure. Analyses of DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activity, as well as reducing power, demonstrated that the synergistic effect between EGCG and PPN did not hinder the inherent antioxidant properties of EGCG but rather enhanced them significantly. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images showed that the addition of EGCG reconstructed the fibril morphology, thereby affecting the properties of PPNs. Overall, the composite fabricated through the interaction between PPN and EGCG shows great potential as a nanocarrier in the processing of functional foods. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovation In and Optimization of Strategies for the Ethical Food Industry: Production, Packaging, and By-Product Valorization)
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25 pages, 1339 KiB  
Article
Plant-Based and Hybrid Patties with Healthy Fats and Broccoli Extract Fortification: More Balanced, Environmentally Friendly Alternative to Meat Prototypes?
by Josemi G. Penalver, Maite M. Aldaya, Débora Villaño, Paloma Vírseda and Maria Jose Beriain
Foods 2025, 14(3), 472; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14030472 - 1 Feb 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1914
Abstract
Hybrid and plant-based products are an emerging trend in food science. This study aimed to develop three patty prototypes (meat, hybrid, and plant-based) enhanced with vegetable fat replacement and broccoli extract using a soy allergen-free protein matrix treated with high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) [...] Read more.
Hybrid and plant-based products are an emerging trend in food science. This study aimed to develop three patty prototypes (meat, hybrid, and plant-based) enhanced with vegetable fat replacement and broccoli extract using a soy allergen-free protein matrix treated with high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) and sous vide cooking to create sustainable and nutritious burger alternatives. The samples were evaluated for microbiological safety, proximal composition, physicochemical properties, sensory characteristics, and carbon footprint. The key findings revealed that the plant-based patties had the smallest carbon footprint (0.12 kg CO2e), followed by the hybrid patties (0.87 kg CO2e) and the meat patties (1.62 kg CO2e). The hybrid patties showed increased hardness, cohesiveness, gumminess, and chewiness compared to the meat patties after sous vide treatment. This improvement likely results from synergies between the meat and plant proteins. Regarding the treatments, in all the samples, the highest hardness was observed after the combined HHP and sous vide treatment, an interesting consideration for future prototypes. Sensory analysis indicated that the plant-based and hybrid samples maintained appealing visual and odour characteristics through the treatments, while the meat patties lost the evaluator’s acceptance. Although further improvements in sensory attributes are needed, hybrid patties offer a promising balance of improved texture and intermediate carbon footprint, making them a viable alternative as sustainable, nutritious patties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovation In and Optimization of Strategies for the Ethical Food Industry: Production, Packaging, and By-Product Valorization)
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18 pages, 1547 KiB  
Article
Protein and Oil Contents, Micro- and Macronutrients, and Other Quality Indicators of Soybean Cultivated in Lowland Fields
by Jéssica Streck Baisch, Mara Grohs, Paulo Ademar Avelar Ferreira, Gustavo Andrade Ugalde, Marcus Vinícius Tres and Giovani Leone Zabot
Foods 2024, 13(23), 3719; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13233719 - 21 Nov 2024
Viewed by 948
Abstract
The cultivation of soybean is being expanded in traditional areas cultivated with rice, called the lowlands. However, soil characteristics are different from those in the highlands, which influences the exportation of nutrients to the grains. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the physical-chemical [...] Read more.
The cultivation of soybean is being expanded in traditional areas cultivated with rice, called the lowlands. However, soil characteristics are different from those in the highlands, which influences the exportation of nutrients to the grains. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the physical-chemical and technological characteristics of soybean grains harvested in lowlands in Brazil. Two-year crops (2021/22 and 2022/23) were used with two types of soil preparation (scarified and non-scarified) and six cover crop treatments (oats, clover, ryegrass, fallow, ryegrass + oats, and ryegrass + clover). The influence of these treatments was evaluated in terms of the grain yield, oil and protein contents, oil composition, quality indices (acidity, peroxide, iodine, and saponification), and contents of ash, carbohydrates, and micro- and macronutrients. Grain yield achieved an average of 3829.8 kg ha−1. Soil scarification positively influenced grain yield and contributed to higher protein and oil contents, with maximum values of 32.7 wt% and 27.6 wt%, respectively. The main fatty acids in oil were oleic acid (22.13 ± 1.48–26.32 ± 0.98%) and linoleic acid (36.32 ± 1.57–52.18 ± 1.58%). The macronutrients phosphorus (5.12 ± 0.39–5.79 ± 0.37 kg ton−1), calcium (2.79 ± 0.19–3.05 ± 0.18 kg ton−1), magnesium (2.37 ± 0.14–2.57 ± 0.13 kg ton−1), and sulfur (2.85 ± 0.18–3.19 ± 0.20 kg ton−1), and the micronutrients copper (9.73 ± 1.42–11.68 ± 1.07 g ton−1), iron (111.42 ± 6.86–122.02 ± 5.00 g ton−1), and manganese (43.58 ± 3.34–47.08 ± 2.74 g ton−1) were in agreement with the values reached in the highlands. For potassium (18.87 ± 0.38–29.29 ± 1.44 kg ton−1) and zinc (30.02 ± 2.45–38.00 ± 1.03 g ton−1), soil scarification allows higher levels of absorption. The use of ryegrass as a cover crop allows higher levels of nitrogen absorption, reaching up to 44.93 ± 2.74 kg ton−1. Regarding the acidity (0.19–0.52%), peroxide (9.64–16.39 mEq O2 kg−1), iodine (85.34–91.91 mg KI g−1), and saponification (182.33–203.74 mg KOH g−1) indices of the oil, all values were obtained in accordance with the scientific literature. The conclusions of this study indicate that it is possible to cultivate soybean in lowlands after developing the proper soil preparation. Consequently, the yields are increased, and grains will benefit from higher protein and oil contents, enhancing soybean quality for commercialization. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovation In and Optimization of Strategies for the Ethical Food Industry: Production, Packaging, and By-Product Valorization)
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Review

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16 pages, 4107 KiB  
Review
Bibliometric Analysis of Papaya and Dragon Fruit By-Products
by Noreima Barroso-Torres, M. Gloria Lobo and Eva Dorta
Foods 2025, 14(13), 2275; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14132275 - 26 Jun 2025
Viewed by 311
Abstract
Tropical fruits have become increasingly popular due to their interesting nutritional composition. This rise in their consumption has resulted in more by-products generated during their production, processing, and commercialization. Papaya, for instance, is one of the leading tropical fruits produced globally due to [...] Read more.
Tropical fruits have become increasingly popular due to their interesting nutritional composition. This rise in their consumption has resulted in more by-products generated during their production, processing, and commercialization. Papaya, for instance, is one of the leading tropical fruits produced globally due to its essential macro- and micronutrients for a healthy diet. On the other hand, dragon fruit, less known worldwide, is gaining popularity due to its nutrient and bioactive compound content. This review uses bibliometric analysis as a tool to investigate the scientific literature related to these two fruits, focusing specifically on their by-products. The objective is to identify the key authors and countries that are making substantial contributions to the research on these fruits and their by-products, such as peels and seeds. It will provide an overview of existing topics and highlight areas needing further investigation to enhance understanding and practical applications. This approach will help guide future research and innovations related to these fruits and their potential uses. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovation In and Optimization of Strategies for the Ethical Food Industry: Production, Packaging, and By-Product Valorization)
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29 pages, 1295 KiB  
Review
Life-Cycle Assessment in Agri-Food Systems and the Wine Industry—A Circular Economy Perspective
by Catarina Marques, Sinem Güneş, Alice Vilela and Reinaldo Gomes
Foods 2025, 14(9), 1553; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14091553 - 28 Apr 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1460
Abstract
Rapid population growth, climate change, and resource depletion pose significant challenges to global food production, demanding sustainable solutions. A Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) provides a structured framework for evaluating the environmental impact of food systems throughout their entire life cycle. This review examines how [...] Read more.
Rapid population growth, climate change, and resource depletion pose significant challenges to global food production, demanding sustainable solutions. A Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) provides a structured framework for evaluating the environmental impact of food systems throughout their entire life cycle. This review examines how an LCA can be integrated with circular economy principles to address sustainability challenges, optimize resource use, and minimize waste in food and alcoholic beverage production. A systematic review of LCA applications in the agri-food sector was conducted, analyzing studies published across different regions. The selection criteria included relevance to circular economy strategies, waste valorization approaches, and assessing environmental impacts using LCA methodologies. The analysis explores explicitly the synergy between food and wine production within the broader agri-food system, considering shared sustainability challenges and opportunities for resource optimization. Key methodologies include cradle-to-grave assessments and the evaluation of waste-to-resource technologies. The findings demonstrate that LCA effectively identifies critical environmental hotspots, enabling the implementation of eco-design and resource recovery practices. Circular strategies, such as the use of renewable energy, precision agriculture, and nutrient recovery, significantly enhance sustainability. However, gaps remain in accounting for social and regional variability, as well as in integrating advanced technologies. When combined with circular economy principles, LCA provides actionable insights for policy development and sustainable practices. Advancing LCA methodologies and fostering multi-stakeholder collaboration are essential for creating resilient and environmentally responsible agri-food systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovation In and Optimization of Strategies for the Ethical Food Industry: Production, Packaging, and By-Product Valorization)
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