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Novel Protein for Future Foods: Current Status, Challenges, and Perspectives
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Novel Protein for Future Foods: Current Status, Challenges, and Perspectives

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2025 | Viewed by 4028

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Malik Altaf Hussain

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Agriculture and Food Sciences Discipline, School of Science, Western Sydney University, Sydney, Australia
Interests: food innovation; novel foods; alternative protein sources; food nutrition and health; food safety; food security
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Li Li

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor Assistant
School of Science, Western Sydney University, Sydney, Australia
Interests: chronic disease; diet-gut microbiome relationship; inflammation; public health nutrition

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Alternative proteins are a mega food innovation trend in the global commercial food sector. Predicted global alternative protein market value could exceed USD 190 billion by 2028. Novel protein sources are getting unprecedented attention for future food security to develop sustainable and resilient food systems, reduce environmental impact, and provide nutritious food options for a growing global population (expected to reach 10 billion by 2050). Embracing new and alternative protein sources can help address the challenges associated with traditional protein production and contribute to a more secure and sustainable food future.

The current revolution in novel proteins is driven by several factors including increased consumer concerns around health and climate change.  Some reports indicated an increase of 302% in new packaged consumer goods, launched with a plant-based claim, between 2018 and 2022. A many-fold increase is anticipated in the use of forage-based domestic protein sources in the coming years. With this rapid shift in consumption patterns, it is a crucial and challenging task to manage the food safety of alternative protein sources to protect consumer health, build trust in emerging food technologies, and ensure the long-term success and acceptance of these products within the food industry. This Special Issue aims to provide original research or reviews in the field of novel protein sources with emphasis on current state-of-the-art technology, challenges, and opportunities in the future.

Dr. Malik Altaf Hussain
Guest Editor

Dr. Li Li
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

  • alternative protein
  • novel foods
  • future foods
  • nutrition
  • sustainable food products
  • plant-based protein
  • insect protein
  • microbial protein sources
  • cultured meats
  • non-traditional proteins
  • cellular agriculture
  • food safety of novel foods
  • allergens and new foods

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Review

12 pages, 246 KiB  
Review
Omega-3 Fatty Acid Fortification of Plant-Based Beverages to Enhance Their Nutritional Profile
by Ashish Pandey, Fozia Kamran, Manisha Choudhury, Li Li, Mohammad Shafiur Rahman and Malik Altaf Hussain
Foods 2025, 14(9), 1602; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14091602 - 1 May 2025
Viewed by 371
Abstract
The growing popularity of a diverse range of plant-based beverages is entrenched in promoting health functionality and addressing ethical and environmental concerns. These beverages offer similar physico-chemical attributes to animal milk and are prepared using plant-based ingredients, such as soy, oats, almonds, rice, [...] Read more.
The growing popularity of a diverse range of plant-based beverages is entrenched in promoting health functionality and addressing ethical and environmental concerns. These beverages offer similar physico-chemical attributes to animal milk and are prepared using plant-based ingredients, such as soy, oats, almonds, rice, chickpeas, sesame seeds, and coconut. These beverages have many nutritional benefits but are deficient in certain nutrients such as essential amino acids, minerals, vitamin B12, vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids. Fortifying these beverages with deficient nutrients could effectively provide comprehensive and nutritionally balanced product options. This approach could be useful in improving the nutritional profile of plant-based beverages to meet the expectations of health-conscious consumers. However, fortifying these products poses challenges related to taste, stability, and ingredient sourcing. Omega-3 fatty acids are crucial for human health and provide numerous health benefits, such as improved heart and vascular health, reduced inflammation, and the prevention of various health conditions. As plant-based diets gain popularity, the demand for nutritionally balanced products is growing, making omega-3 fortification a strategic approach for businesses to tap into an expanding market of health-conscious consumers. However, it is important to consider individual needs about health and ensure regulatory oversight to ensure the safety and effectiveness of fortified plant-based products. This article provides an overview of emerging plant-based beverages, their comparative nutritional profiles, the need to improve the nutritional value using omega-3 fatty acids as an example, and challenges in omega-3 fatty acid fortification. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Protein for Future Foods: Current Status, Challenges, and Perspectives)
30 pages, 2443 KiB  
Review
Pulse Proteins: Processing, Nutrition, and Functionality in Foods
by Valeria Messina, Daniel J. Skylas, Thomas H. Roberts, Peter Valtchev, Chris Whiteway, Ziqi Li, Andreas Hopf, Fariba Dehghani, Ken J. Quail and Brent N. Kaiser
Foods 2025, 14(7), 1151; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14071151 - 26 Mar 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1603
Abstract
Pulses are grown worldwide and provide agronomic benefits that contribute to the sustainability of cropping systems. Pulses are high in protein and provide a good source of carbohydrates, dietary fibre, vitamins, minerals, and bioactive constituents. Crops such as lupins, chickpeas, faba beans, field [...] Read more.
Pulses are grown worldwide and provide agronomic benefits that contribute to the sustainability of cropping systems. Pulses are high in protein and provide a good source of carbohydrates, dietary fibre, vitamins, minerals, and bioactive constituents. Crops such as lupins, chickpeas, faba beans, field peas, lentils, and mung beans, and the diversity of varieties among them, provide enormous opportunities for processing protein ingredients for use in new and existing food formulations. This review highlights the nutritional properties of pulses, protein quality, functionality, and applications for pulse protein ingredients. Understanding the functionality of pulse proteins, and the unique properties between different pulses in terms of solubility, water- and oil-holding capacity, emulsification, gelation, and foaming properties, will help maximise their use in plant-based meat and dairy alternatives, beverages, bakery products, noodles, pasta, and nutritional supplements. In this review, researchers, food technologists, and food manufacturers are provided with a comprehensive resource on pulses, and the diverse applications for pulse protein ingredients within the context of food manufacturing and the constantly evolving food technology landscape. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Protein for Future Foods: Current Status, Challenges, and Perspectives)
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27 pages, 2943 KiB  
Review
A Systematic Literature Review of Cultured Meat Through the Conceptual Frameworks of the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem and Global Value Chain
by Chiara Benussi and Antonella Samoggia
Foods 2025, 14(5), 885; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14050885 - 5 Mar 2025
Viewed by 1060
Abstract
Cultured meat (CM) is currently experiencing a surge in popularity, primarily due to its promise to produce animal-based products with a lower environmental impact and a higher level of animal welfare. Although CM production remains limited and lacks pre-market approval (except for Singapore [...] Read more.
Cultured meat (CM) is currently experiencing a surge in popularity, primarily due to its promise to produce animal-based products with a lower environmental impact and a higher level of animal welfare. Although CM production remains limited and lacks pre-market approval (except for Singapore and the USA), recent technological advancements have been notable. A greater number of stakeholders, including biotechnology companies, start-ups, private investors, NGOs and big agrifood companies, are entering the CM value chain. This paper aims to aggregate, synthesize, and analyze existing studies on the CM value chain to highlight the characteristics, methodologies, and topics they address. Our secondary purpose is to analyze elements emerging in terms of global value chain dynamics. To do so, this study applies a conceptual framework based on the interplay of the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem and global value chain frameworks. This systematic literature review identifies 43 studies and shows that the most addressed topics are regulations on pre-market approval and labelling, technological progress, the use of patents, the availability and sources of funding, and actors’ roles in the CM market. The analysis and discussion of these findings highlight key aspects of the CM global value chain and present further areas of research to investigate the governance of the chain. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Protein for Future Foods: Current Status, Challenges, and Perspectives)
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