Advances in Plant-Based Foods: From Sustainable Production to Functional Applications
A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Foods".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2025 | Viewed by 13
Special Issue Editors
Interests: nutritional and bioactive composition of foods; impact of bioactive compounds on human health; development of sustainable and health-promoting plant-based ingredients
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: traditional foods; food by-products; functional foods; nutritional composition; bioactive compounds; public health
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
This Special Issue, “Advances in Plant-Based Foods: From Sustainable Production to Functional Applications”, aims to explore the growing importance of plant-based ingredients and/or foods in promoting sustainable food systems, nutritional adequacy, and public health. With increasing global interest in reducing the environmental impact of food production and enhancing human health, plant-based ingredients have emerged as key components in the formulation of innovative and functional food products.
This Special Issue will address various aspects of plant-based food research, including the nutritional and bioactive composition of plant-derived ingredients, their functional and technological properties, and their potential role in the prevention of diet-related chronic diseases. Special attention will be given to the valorization of underused crops, by-products, and novel plant sources through sustainable processing and formulation strategies.
We encourage submissions that investigate the use of plant-based ingredients in the development of functional foods, including studies on bioactive compounds, protein and fiber enrichment, and fermentation or fortification approaches. Contributions focusing on consumer perception, regulatory challenges, environmental sustainability, and health impact assessment—such as clinical trials, dietary interventions, and lifestyle studies—are also welcome.
By bringing together interdisciplinary research, this Special Issue seeks to provide a comprehensive overview of how plant-based foods can support both planetary and human health while driving innovation in the food industry through sustainable, functional, and evidence-based solutions.
Dr. Tânia Gonçalves Albuquerque
Dr. Helena S. Costa
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-based foods
- functional foods
- bioactive compounds
- sustainable food systems
- food processing
- nutritional quality
- public health
- food innovation
- alternative proteins
- health-promoting ingredients
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.
